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The UK Airline and Airport that Have the Worst Delays

There is nothing more frustrating for a traveller than to wait idly for a delayed flight. Not only can it be depressing, but it can also be nerve-racking in case you are on a tight work schedule. Unfortunately, delays and cancellations are a reality of air travel. Though you cannot avoid them, you can empower yourself with information about the airlines and airports with the highest delay times. This can greatly help you choose a flight service that has the minimal chance of a delay.

The Data

BBC conducted an analysis of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) flight data and found that the Gatwick Airport and EasyJet Airlines have some of the worst records when it came to timely operations. Passengers who went through the Gatwick Airport were revealed to have been delayed by 27 minutes on average. In contrast, passengers at smaller airports seem to have experienced lesser delays. The longer delays at Gatwick are the result of the airport being one of the busiest and traffic-intensive in the UK.

When it comes to airlines, EasyJet customers had to go through an average delay period of 24 minutes. British Airways and Thomas Cook had delays nearing 20 minutes and were placed at 2nd and 3rd in the list. Aer Lingus customers experienced the least delay times at about 12 minutes, which comes to just half the delay time of EasyJet. But like Gatwick, EasyJet Airlines claim that their longer delays stem from the fact that they operate the largest number of flights in the UK.

In addition to flight delays, cancellations are also causes of worry for passengers. If any airline has caused you such troubles, then you have the right to seek compensation from them.

Compensation For Delays and Cancellations

While many people have a basic idea of flight delay compensation, they are not so informed regarding compensation for cancelled flights. For flight delays, you can be compensated up to €600, depending on the distance of the flight and delay time. With cancellations, the compensation amount will depend on how soon you were informed about the cancellation and the distance of the flight. If you received the notice of cancellation within 14 days before the flight date, then you may be eligible for a compensation of up to €250 for distances less than 1,500 km, €400 for distances between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, and €600 for distances greater than 3,500 km.

If the delays or cancellations were due to any “extraordinary circumstances” like weather, union strikes, etc., the airline may be successful in avoiding the compensation. But with FairPlane UK, you get access to services of solicitors who fight tooth and nail to ensure that you get the compensation which you rightfully deserve. Over the past many years, they have helped clients recover millions of pounds worth of compensation. At FairPlane UK, you can use the services of professional experts who work on a “No Win, No Fee” basis. As such, there is no financial risk involved and you would only have to pay for the service once they are successful in claiming your compensation.

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