At this point, delays are basically just a part of the flying experience. The likelihood of you going somewhere and getting back without a single hitch is pretty low – but not all delays are created equal.
As we at Time Out have discovered in the past, some airports are worse than others and terminals differ even within the same airport. Today it has been revealed which exact routes involving UK airports are most likely to leave you waiting in an uncomfy plastic chair, cold Burger King in hand.
Communications provider Esendex has published its findings after having analysed more than 250 flight paths at 20 airports here in the UK to discover which are worst for timings.
If you’re headed from Leeds Bradford airport to Lawica, Poland anytime soon, it’s bad news. That journey was an average of 36 minutes late, making it the worst in the country. On the bright side this is a more niche route than say London to Paris, so at least not as many people will have to suffer.
Next up it’s Birmingham to Dubai, where you should factor an extra 30 minutes onto any onward plans. This is swiftly followed by the journey between the East Midlands Airport and Paris Orly, which is held up by 28 minutes on average. Basically, if you can, avoid flying from the Midlands.
Although it only appeared at ninth in a recent study of the worst UK airports for delays, Bristol Airport actually appears the most frequently on the list, occupying three out of the top ten spots. Perhaps it’s just these three services dragging the overall rating down.
The top ten worst flights out of UK airports for delays
- Leeds Bradford to Lawica, Poland (36 minutes)
- Birmingham International to Dubai, UAE (30 minutes)
- East Midlands to Paris Orly, France (28 minutes)
- Edinburgh to Belfast City, Northern Ireland (27 minutes)
- Manchester to Lisbon, Portugal (25 minutes)
- London Gatwick to Milan Malpensa, Italy (20 minutes)
- Bristol to Guernsey, UK (20 minutes)
- Bristol to Edinburgh, Scotland (19 minutes)
- Bristol to Porto, Portugal (18 minutes)
- Belfast International to Glasgow, Scotland (17 minutes)
What’s the lesson here? Everywhere you go there will be delays. They’re a part of life now. Embrace them. Bring an extra book. Learn to knit. Carve notches in the wall for every hour that passes as you slowly descend further and further into madness. The possibilities are endless.
Eyes on the skies
At Time Out we keep an eye on all things British aviation. For instance, did you see that that TUI will be flying to loads of new locations next year? Or that direct flights from the UK to this beautiful Caribbean island could be making a comeback? We’ve also updated you on a brand-new budget airline getting you to Europe for less and why the 100ml rule won't be scrapped this year.
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