Tui Airways has been identified as one of the airlines with the most significant delays for UK departures, according to data released by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
In the past year, Tui Airways' UK departures were, on average, 20 minutes and 24 seconds behind schedule. The CAA's analysis encompassed all scheduled and chartered UK departures from 34 airlines that operated more than 2,500 flights in 2025. Cancelled flights were not included in the punctuality rankings.
The Birmingham to Zante route, with at least 100 flights, recorded the longest average delay for Tui Airways at 46 minutes. Tui Airways is owned by Tui Group, a major package holiday operator serving over 20 British airports.
A spokesperson for Tui Group stated that minimizing delays is a top priority, and the airline often operates flights even when delayed, rather than canceling them to prioritize customer travel over punctuality rankings. This approach, they noted, would improve their ranking if broader industry practices of canceling flights were adopted.
Across all airlines included in the analysis, the average delay was 14 minutes and 48 seconds, a decrease from the 18 minutes and 18 seconds recorded in 2024. Air India had the poorest punctuality record for the second consecutive year, with average delays exceeding 36 minutes. Scandinavian Airlines recorded the best performance, with UK departures delayed by an average of eight minutes.
Which? Travel consumer magazine described the ongoing unreliability of flight services as unacceptable, especially in light of fare increases. Airlines UK, a trade body representing UK-registered carriers, pointed to external factors beyond airline control as the primary cause of most delays.