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According to figures released by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), on-time performance of scheduled flights at the ten airports monitored by the CAA was 78 per cent between April and June 2010. This is a four-percentage point reduction over the same months in 2009. On-time performance declined at all monitored airports with the exception of London City Airport which registered a one percentage point increase.
In the second quarter of 2010 there were 318 thousand scheduled flights and 23 thousand charter flights at the ten UK airports monitored, representing a decline of nine and 11 per cent respectively, compared with the second quarter of 2009. In this quarter, volcanic ash and industrial action impacted on operating conditions at all UK airports, generating many cancellations (which do not affect punctuality statistics) and some delay.
Scheduled Flights
During April to June 2010, the overall on-time performance (defined as early to 15 minutes late) of scheduled flights at the ten UK airports monitored was 78 per cent, four percentage points lower than in the second quarter of 2009. The average delay, at 14 minutes, shows an increase of four minutes between the second quarters of 2009 and 2010.
Gatwick and Luton registered the largest decrease in on-time performance and increase in average delay. Gatwick’s on-time performance fell by ten percentage points to 71 per cent and Luton’s fell by nine percentage points to 71 percent. In both cases, the average delay increased by seven minutes to 18 minutes in the second quarter of 2010 compared with the same period in 2009. Heathrow’s on-time performance fell by two percentage points to 78 per cent, and Stansted’s fell by four percentage points also to 78 per cent. London City achieved an on-time performance of 88 per cent, which represented a one percentage point improvement over the second quarter of 2009.
Overall, on-time performance for scheduled flights at regional airports fell by four percentage points and the average delay increased by three minutes in the second quarter of 2010 compared with the same period in 2009. Manchester and Newcastle both had the largest decline in on-time performance (six percentage points) and increase in average delay (five minutes) amongst the regional airports.
Charter Flights
The proportion of on-time charter flights fell by eight percentage points to 66 per cent in the second quarter of 2010, compared with the same period of 2009. The average delay across all charter flights monitored in the second quarter of 2010 was 28 minutes, compared to 21 minutes in the second quarter of 2009.
On-time performance of charter flights at the London airports fell by six percentage points to 68 per cent, whereas at the five regional airports monitored, the on-time performance fell by ten percentage points to 65 per cent.
Destinations with most passengers
Among the 75 scheduled and charter destinations with the most passengers in the second quarter of 2010, flights to and from Luxembourg had the highest on-time performance (93 per cent) and the shortest average delay (four minutes). Scheduled flights to and from Madrid recorded the worst on-time performance of 58 per cent and scheduled flights to and from Palma de Mallorca had the highest average delay of 29 minutes. Charter flights to Palma de Mallorca had an on-time performance of 56 per cent and an average delay of 38 minutes.
Volcanic Ash
The eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in April 2010 seems to have had relatively little impact on punctuality of UK air services as the direct effects of volcanic ash caused mainly cancellations to air services rather than delays. Year-on-year decreases in on-time performance were, on average, smaller during April 2010 (when UK airspace was most affected by volcanic ash) than during the second quarter of 2010 as a whole.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
