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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
“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
Manchester’s newest hotel launches massive recruitment drive with 100+ jobs available
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s newest hotels has launched a massive recruitment drive with more than 100 jobs available to locals.
The Medlock, Manchester’s bold new 401-bedroom hotel – which is born from a partnership between Manchester City Football Club and Radisson Hotel Group, and is set to open later this year in the autumn – is looking for new team members across a wide range of areas, including front of house, housekeeping, engineering, and reservations.
To welcome these new team members onboard, the hotel has now launched a massive recruitment drive with dozens of roles available to local people.
Individuals who bring ‘authenticity, pride, and personality’ to everything they do are encouraged to apply for the roles – which go live early next week (Monday 27 April).
Aimed at boosting employment within the local community, vacancies span front-of-house, housekeeping, engineering and reservations.
The recruitment drive – delivered in partnership with Total People – is being lead by Valor Hospitality, the hotel’s operator chosen for its global expertise and people-first approach to hospitality, and will be offering tailored training programmes that are designed to make careers in hospitality accessible to Manchester residents.
Vocational qualifications across a range of skills will help individuals build confidence and step into rewarding roles in the industry, and it also means prior experience is not entirely necessary.
More than 100 roles will be available to local people / Credit: Supplied
General Manager Richard Pearson says the recruitment drive is a ‘unique opportunity to be part of an exciting partnership’.
“This is a milestone we’ve been eagerly anticipating, building the team that will bring The Medlock to life,” he added. “We’re looking for people who carry the spirit of Manchester with them, people who are proud of where they’re from and passionate about creating something special together.”
As mentioned, all job adverts will go live next Monday (27 April) so hopefuls can get their applications submitted here.
This’ll then be followed by invite-only open days for shortlisted candidates in mid May.
Featured Image – Supplied
News
UK passes bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from smoking in ‘historic’ moment
Emily Sergeant
In what is described as being a ‘historic moment’, the UK has now passed a bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from ever buying tobacco products.
It’s been a long time coming, but the final draft of the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill completed its journey through the Houses of Commons and Lords yesterday (21 April 2026), and is now on its way to receiving royal assent to officially become the law.
For those unfamiliar, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop people who were born on or after 1 January 2009 from ever taking up smoking.
It will also give Government ministers new powers to regulate tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products – including their flavours and packaging, which make them more appealing to younger generations.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has hailed the bill’s passing as a ‘historic moment for the nation’s health’ on the road to creating a smoke-free generation.
The UK has passed a bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from smoking / Credit: Lil Artsy (via Pexels)
“Children in the UK will be part of the first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm,” Mr Streeting said after the bill was passed this week.
“Prevention is better than cure. This reform will save lives, ease pressure on the NHS, and build a healthier Britain.”
The ban on purchasing tobacco products for those born after 2008 was first mooted by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Government a number of years back, but was eventually shelved ahead of the 2024 General Election, and then revived again by Labour when they took power.
The bill’s passing parliament has been welcomed by charities and campaign groups – most notably Cancer Research UK.
“This is a historic achievement that will shield our children from the devastating grip of tobacco addiction and help to put an end to cancers caused by smoking,” concluded Michelle Mitchell, who is the Chief Executive Officer at Cancer Research.
Emily Sergeant -
9th May 2023 
