Wizz Air has been ranked as the worst airline for UK flight delays in 2023, with Emerald Airlines the best, according to analysis of Civil Aviation Authority data by the PA news agency.
The analysis took into account all scheduled and chartered departures from UK airports by airlines that operated more than 2,500 flights last year.
The average delay for all of the flights was 20 minutes and 42 seconds, with average Wizz Air delays of more than 31 minutes followed by Turkish Airlines, Tui and Air India at 28 minutes.
Jet2.com outperformed the average by almost three minutes to be ranked the most punctual UK short-haul airline with an average delay of 17 minutes and 48 seconds.
The carrier maintained its position despite operating more than 100,000 flights last year, with almost 3,000 a week operating during peak periods with a fleet of 119 aircraft.
Virgin Atlantic was second best performing UK carrier with an average delay of 13 minutes and 42 seconds, against British Airways at 21 minutes and 36 seconds and EasyJet at 21 minutes and 30 seconds.
Aer Lingus regional carrier Emerald Airlines was the top performer with an average delay of 13 minutes and six seconds.
Jet2 chief executive Steve Heapy said: “We flew millions of customers away to enjoy their well-deserved holidays in 2023 and this exhaustive data shows that we outperformed our competitors when it came to getting them away on time.
“This is because we have continually invested in our world-class operation, which goes alongside the industry-leading customer service that we are famed for.
“From maintenance and engineering through to operations, ground handling and flight planning, every single Jet2.com colleague cares passionately about doing the right thing for customers and that effort shines through in this data.”
Airlines ranked from the longest average delay per departing flight to the shortest (duration in brackets):
1. Wizz Air (31 minutes and 36 seconds)
2. Turkish Airlines (28 minutes and 36 seconds)
3. Tui (28 minutes and 24 seconds)
4. Air India (28 minutes and 12 seconds)
5. Pegasus Airlines (25 minutes and six seconds)
6. Air Portugal (23 minutes and 48 seconds)
7. Vueling Airlines (23 minutes and six seconds)
8. Swiss Airlines (22 minutes and 48 seconds)
9. Air Canada (22 minutes and six seconds)
10. British Airways (21 minutes and 36 seconds)
11. EasyJet (21 minutes and 30 seconds)
12. Aurigny Air Services (20 minutes and 48 seconds)
13. Stobart Air (20 minutes and 42 seconds)
14. Ryanair (19 minutes and 54 seconds)
15. Loganair (19 minutes and six seconds)
16. American Airlines (18 minutes and 48 seconds)
17. Eastern Airways (18 minutes and 42 seconds)
18. Air France (18 minutes and 36 seconds)
=19. Emirates (18 minutes and 30 seconds)
=19. Lufthansa (18 minutes and 30 seconds)
21. Eurowings (17 minutes and 54 seconds)
=22. Jet2.com (17 minutes and 48 seconds)
=22. Norwegian Air (17 minutes and 48 seconds)
24. Aer Lingus (17 minutes and 24 seconds)
25. Qatar (16 minutes and 24 seconds)
26. KLM (15 minutes and 54 seconds)
27. United Airlines (15 minutes and 36 seconds)
28. Blue Islands (15 minutes and six seconds)
29. Delta Airlines (15 minutes)
30. Iberia (14 minutes and 24 seconds)
31. SAS (14 minutes)
32. Virgin Atlantic (13 minutes and 42 seconds)
33. Emerald Airlines (13 minutes and six seconds)