Exeter Airport Leads UK in Flight Cancellations, Despite 'Best Airport' Accolade

Exeter Airport, recently recognized as Britain's best airport by consumer group Which?, has been identified as the UK hub with the highest flight cancellation rates, according to new analysis by aerospace tooling supplier Heamar. The study, which examined data from the Civil Aviation Authority for 2025 and January to June 2026, found that 5.27% of flights at Exeter were cancelled during the first half of 2026.

This rate translates to approximately one cancellation for every 19 flight movements, making travelers roughly 29 times more likely to experience a cancellation at Exeter compared to Prestwick Airport, which recorded a 0.18% cancellation rate. Despite its recent accolades for customer satisfaction, Exeter's high cancellation figures are partly attributed to its service to offshore islands, such as the Isles of Scilly and the Channel Islands, where flights are particularly susceptible to adverse weather conditions like fog, low cloud, and strong winds. An Exeter Airport spokesperson noted that these factors are outside the airport's control and do not reflect its operational performance.

Southampton Airport followed with the second-highest cancellation rate at 4.43%. A spokesperson for Southampton Airport stated that flight cancellations can be due to various factors including weather, air traffic congestion, late arrivals, or technical aircraft issues, and that the airport collaborates with airline partners to support their operations.

London City Airport rounded out the top three, with 2.44% of its flights cancelled during the analyzed period. Other airports with notable cancellation rates include Inverness (2.24%), Heathrow (1.84%), Birmingham (1.53%), Glasgow (1.46%), Aberdeen (1.45%), Edinburgh (1.15%), and Gatwick (1.08%).

The overall trend indicates a worsening situation across the country. In the first six months of 2026, 12,373 flights were cancelled across the 25 busiest UK airports analyzed, an increase of nearly 2,000 compared to the same period in the previous year. This represents an 18.6% year-on-year jump in cancellations, despite only a 0.8% increase in flight movements.

This analysis comes after Manchester T3 was named the nation's worst airport by Which? for factors including late cancellations, queues, and facility quality. Manchester Airport is currently undergoing a multi-million-pound refurbishment to address issues such as outdated travelators.