UK air travel recovered to 75% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels last year but saw “unacceptable” delays and cancellations in early summer, official figures reveal.
More than 224 million passengers travelled to and from UK airports, according to new Civil Aviation Authority data.
The figure was up from 65.4 million passengers in 2021, highlighting strong passenger demand as the industry continued its post-pandemic recovery.
About two per cent of all flights were cancelled during 2022, with May and June most heavily affected as travel bounced back from the Covid crisis.
Accelerated demand for air travel in the first half of last year “created challenges” for travel operators, resulting in measures being put in place to manage flight disruption and improve resilience, the CAA said.
This affected on time performance, with just 63% of flights deemed to have operated on time – inside 15 minutes of scheduled – down from pre-pandemic levels of 75%. The average delay was 22 minutes.
Weather conditions, including snow and icy conditions also contributed to cancellations in December.
Among the 10 largest UK airports, Bristol was closest to its pre-pandemic levels, with almost eight million passengers travelling through the airport representing 89% of 2019 numbers, followed closely by Stansted at 83%.
Spain, including the Canary Islands, was the most popular European destination in 2022, with around 16% of all passengers carried – nearly 37 million – representing 83% of its 2019 level.
Ireland and Italy each carried roughly 5% of the total – 10.3 million passengers to the Ireland and 11.9 million to Italy – representing 78% and 74% of their 2019 levels respectively.
Travel to the US continued to recover with more than 15 million passengers, representing 70% of its 2019 level.
Recovery across the country was been mostly consistent, with London, regional and Scottish airports at around 74% of 2019 levels.
Wales reached 79% when compared to the same period. In Northern Ireland, Belfast International reached 77% of its 2019 passenger numbers.
The aviation regulator’s head of consumers Anna Bowles said: “More than three times as many people flew into and from UK airports last year compared to 2021, demonstrating a clear wish by consumers to return to travel as Covid restrictions were lifted, and giving industry a well-needed boost after a difficult few years.
“That bounce-back in passenger numbers was at times overshadowed by the challenges that the aviation sector faced in the early summer of 2022, which saw an unacceptable level of flight cancellations and delays.
“We expect to see increased resilience and continued improved performance by airlines in 2023, giving passengers the experience they expect and the confidence to continue to return to travel.”
Which? policy and advocacy director Rocio Concha said: “These dreadful performance figures will be unsurprising to anyone who endured the widespread chaos at UK airports last year.
“Which? has received hundreds of testimonies from travellers left high and dry by airlines when their flights were cancelled or delayed, from people abandoned in airports to seek emergency accommodation and alternative flights home, to those still chasing compensation months later.
“Airlines’ unacceptable treatment of passengers cannot be allowed to stand.
“We are calling on the transport secretary to act without delay and give the Civil Aviation Authority the powers it needs to fine airlines when they break the law and fail in their responsibility to passengers.”