Flight Delay Warning: TUI, Jet2, Ryanair, Wizzair Passengers Can Claim £520

TUI Flights Average 20-Minute Delay; Birmingham-Zante Route Worst

New data from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) reveals that TUI Airways flights departing from UK airports in 2025 were delayed by an average of 20 minutes and 24 seconds. The least punctual TUI route with at least 100 flights was from Birmingham to the Greek island of Zante, which faced an average delay of 46 minutes. The analysis, conducted by the Press Association, covers all scheduled and chartered departures from UK airports by 34 airlines that operated more than 2,500 flights last year. Cancelled flights were not included in the punctuality assessment.

Consumer Rights: Compensation Up to £520 for Delays

Rory Boland, editor of consumer magazine Which? Travel, described the delays as “unacceptable” given rising airfares. He stated: “Airlines must do more to support travellers during delays, including clearly communicating their rights and eligibility for compensation. It’s worth putting in a claim with your airline if you think it’s responsible – and escalating the complaint if it refuses to pay.” Passengers on flights from the UK may be entitled to assistance such as food, drink, communication means, and overnight accommodation depending on the delay length and route distance. Additionally, compensation of up to £520 can be claimed if the delay is within the airline’s control, such as aircraft faults or pilot sickness.

TUI Defends Record: Delays Prevent Cancellations

Aage Dunhaupt, Tui Group’s director of communications, said: “We fully understand that for holidaymakers, every minute counts. Minimising delays remains a top priority, and our teams work continuously to improve operational performance across our network.” He explained that TUI makes “a conscious choice” to operate delayed flights rather than cancel them, ensuring passengers reach their destination “rather than facing the risk of extended disruption.” He added: “If we were to follow broader industry practices of cancelling flights more readily, our punctuality ranking would improve significantly. However, this would come at the expense of our customers.”

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Air India Worst Performer for Second Year; Scandinavian Airlines Best

Air India recorded the poorest punctuality for the second consecutive year, with an average delay of 36 minutes and 36 seconds. It was followed by Blue Islands (25 minutes and 12 seconds) – a Channel Islands regional airline that collapsed in November 2025 – TAP Air Portugal (23 minutes), and Saudia (21 minutes and 18 seconds). At the other end of the scale, Scandinavian Airlines achieved the best performance with an average delay of just eight minutes, ahead of Virgin Atlantic at 11 minutes. The overall average delay across all airlines analysed was 14 minutes and 48 seconds, down from 18 minutes and 18 seconds in 2024.

CAA: Airlines Must Uphold Passenger Rights

CAA director Tim Johnson noted that long delays “can cause significant disruption and inconvenience for passengers.” He added: “We recognise the impact this can have, which is why there are rules in place to protect passengers. Airlines are expected to minimise the impact of delays where possible, by providing timely information and upholding passengers’ rights during disruption.” A spokesperson for Airlines UK, a trade body for UK-registered carriers, said: “The vast majority of UK airline flights depart on time and CAA data shows customer satisfaction levels are at an all-time high. Most delays are the result of issues that are entirely outside airline control, such as adverse weather, forced reductions in the number of planes that are able to land and take off each hour, and industrial action. When these delays do occur, airlines work hard to support customers and get them where they need to be as quickly as possible.”