Birmingham Airport: The UK airports with the longest delays revealed - see where Birmingham Airport ranks
A new study has revealed the UK airports with the longest average delays - see where Birmingham Airport ranks
The study, conducted by expert casino analysts SlotsCalendar, looked at data from the UK Civil Aviation Authority regarding flight punctuality between January 2022 and November 2024 for 25 of the most popular commercial airports.
The average departure delay was looked at for the flights over the two years to determine the airports with the longest average departure delay. Additionally, 2024’s data was compared to 2023 to see whether the average delay has increased or decreased.
Birmingham Airport recorded the fourth-longest delay, with travellers waiting an average of 22 minutes and 46 seconds. The airport was granted a runway extension in 2014, allowing more long-haul flights to operate, and is the UK’s seventh-largest airport. In 2023, over 11 million passengers passed through its doors, though their average wait time was 5% longer than in 2024.
East Midlands Airport fared much better for delays with average departure delay times of 14 minutes and 46 seconds - the 25th longest delay out of UK airports.
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Worst airports for delays revealed
The study revealed that the Isle of Man Airport experiences the longest average delay, lasting around 32 minutes and four seconds. The airport, located in Ballasalla, is one of the smallest on the list and reported just over 652,000 passengers last year. Despite having the longest average delay over the three years assessed, between 2023 and 2024, the airport saw a 41% reduction in delays – from 40 minutes and 10 seconds in 2023 down to 23 minutes and 52 seconds in 2024.
In second place is Gatwick, with an average delay of 25 minutes and 46 seconds. Ranking in third place is Southend. Over the last couple of years, the average departure delay has stood at 24 minutes and five seconds.
Birmingham is the fourth worst, followed by Manchester Airport, the UK’s largest airport outside London, which ranks in fifth place with an average delay of 22 minutes and four seconds. Teesside International saw the sixth-longest delay, with an average wait time of 21 minutes and 57 seconds, and Next in line, is Edinburgh Airport, which ranks in seventh place. Between 2022 and 2024, the average departure delay stood at 21 minutes and 45 seconds.