The best and worst airports in the UK for flight delay durations have officially been revealed, and it’s bad news for Manchester.
Manchester Airport has been ranked second worst on the list, with an average delay of 29 minutes.
It comes after what can only be described as repeated scenes of chaos for travellers this past summer at the UK’s third largest airport – with long delays, unplanned flight cancellations, and queues so long that many were required to turn up hours in advance and even then still miss their flights in the most unfortunate cases.
Angry passengers from our region’s airport over the past three years since travel resumed after the first COVID-19 lockdown have described their experiences “chaotic”, “heaving”, and “an end-to-end shambles.
And now, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has analysed data by the PA news agency, and considered all scheduled and chartered departures in 2022.
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Cancelled flights were, however, not included in this particular analysis.
Manchester Airport named second worst UK airport for flight delays / Credit: Ivan Shimko (via Unsplash)
Birmingham Airport was named as the worst in the UK for flight punctuality for the second year in a row, with flights delayed by an average of 30 minutes.
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Doncaster Sheffield Airport – which closed in November – came in joint second place with Manchester, while Luton came in fourth place with a 28-minute average delay, and Gatwick rounds out the top five with an average of 27 minutes.
Top 10 Worst UK Airports for Flight Delays
Birmingham (30 minutes)
Manchester(29 minutes)
Doncaster Sheffield (29 minutes)
Luton (28 minutes)
Gatwick (27 minutes)
Bristol (26 minutes)
Cardiff (24 minutes)
Edinburgh (24 minutes)
Heathrow (22 minutes)
Newcastle (21 minutes)
On the other end of the scale, the UK airport with the shortest average delay duration was East Midlands Airport at 13 minutes.
“Our data tells us that too many passengers faced disappointing levels of delays across UK airports last year,” explained the CAA’s Head of Consumer, Anna Bowles.
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“It is important consumers experience a high-quality service from both airlines and airports this year [and] we expect airlines to proactively provide passengers with information about their rights when flights are disrupted.”
Last October, Manchester Airport was also officially named the worst airport in the UK by consumer group Which? Which? after feedback was gathered from more than 7,000 people about their experiences of flying from UK airports between July 2020 and July 2022.
Featured Image – Manchester Airport
News
Fundraiser launched to find ‘beautiful soul’ now missing for almost three weeks
Daisy Jackson
An urgent fundraiser has been set up to help in the search for a Manchester man, who has now been missing for almost three weeks.
Adeo Alston, 25, was last seen in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury on Friday 16 May.
Greater Manchester Police have been conducting urgent searches for missing Adeo, who was last seen wearing long blue denim shorts, a green short-sleeved button up shirt, and white Adidas trainers.
But now his loved ones have launched a GoFundMe to help them raise the costs for a private investigator.
It’s hoped that the £1.5k target will pay for the investigation fees, with the ‘hope of finding and getting him home safe’.
When Adeo was last seen, he was reportedly heading in the direction of the River Mersey after socialising with a man and a woman.
GMP have been investigating, checking CCTV, bank records, phone activity and appealing for witnesses – but have so far found ‘no leads’.
The GoFundMe, by Adeo’s friend Charlie Watkinson, says: “We’re now running out of options.
“It’s becoming increasingly concerning as the days pass and we’re all so worried and miss him so so much.
“We are now resorting to a private investigator – the funds we raise from this will pay for the investigation fees, with the hope of finding and getting him home safe.
Guide Dogs desperately needs people in Greater Manchester to ‘foster’ its dogs while they’re in training
Emily Sergeant
Guide Dogs desperately needs Greater Manchester residents to take on the volunteering role of Fosterers.
The charity – which has been providing mobility support, and raising awareness of and campaigning for the blind and partially sighted since 1934 – relies on the help of its network of its more than 14,000 volunteers across the UK to help it make a difference and improve the lives of those with visual impairments.
And Fosterers are a vital part of the journey for the hundreds of dogs trained each year.
As a Training Dog Fosterer, you’ll be giving a dog in training a loving home whilst they embark on their journey to become a guide dog.
You’ll get to see the progress your furry companion is making in their training and be a vital part of their journey, all without the commitment of looking after a dog full time.
Guide Dogs North West – which is based at the state-of-the-art training school in Atherton – has taken to social media this week to issue a desperate plea for new Fosterers to join its volunteer network in our region, and is calling on dog lovers who can commit to the important role to get in touch.
“Calling dog lovers around Atherton,” the post on Instagram reads.
“We desperately need volunteer Fosterers to look after our trainee guide dogs during the evenings and weekends. We take care of the training and costs, such as food and vet bills, and you take care of the play time and cuddles.”
One of the most crucial parts of the Fosterer role is being able to drop the dog off between 8-9am and pick them up between 5-6pm at a Guide Dogs site or a site near a trainers’ home each weekday – which means you will likely need to live nearby to the Atherton training centre or be fully-committed to travelling.
Guide Dogs desperately needs people in Greater Manchester to ‘foster’ its dogs while they’re in training / Credit: Guide Dogs
What will you get in return? Well, volunteering is a two-way street, so in return for your time, you’ll get a dedicated volunteer manager / key contact who will help you settle in and support you during your time with the charity.
And of course, you’ll get lots of cuddles from the new four-legged friend you’ve welcomed into your home.
This could be a chance to play your part in changing lives.
Emily Sergeant -
9th May 2023 
