Passengers lifted by shortest delays at airports in 14 years

Published on Wednesday 9 September 2009 22:08

PASSENGERS at Britain's busiest airports experienced the shortest delays for 14 years this spring, with marked improvements at Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Average hold-ups for scheduled flights at Scotland's two main airports were cut by one-third to nine and ten minutes respectively in April to June compared with a year ago, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said.

A total of 84 per cent of such flights – more than four in five – arrived on time at both airports, some 10 per cent better than a year ago. "On time" is classed as within 15 minutes of schedule.

News of the improvement comes days after Network Rail reported a record 91.1 per cent of trains across Britain arrived within five minutes of scheduled times over the last year.

BAA Scotland, which runs Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, said cuts in flights caused by the recession had helped improve time-keeping by reducing congestion at airports including Heathrow.

The CAA said the improvement had coincided with a 9 per cent reduction in flights – to the lowest level for six years – and a 6 per cent cut in passengers.

Charter flight punctuality also improved at Glasgow, with average delays nearly halved to 18 minutes, and three in four planes on time compared with only just over half a year ago.

At Edinburgh, where charter flights account for a far smaller proportion of flights, punctuality slipped by 2 per cent to 70 per cent, with average delays unchanged at 19 minutes.

A BAA Scotland spokesman said: "We are pleased to see such a significant improvement in flight punctuality at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports.

"The vast majority of delays are caused by problems outwith the immediate control of our airports, such as bad weather, air traffic control restrictions and delays from inbound aircraft.

"However, we have taken steps to improve the operation of our airports, including better stand planning and, in the case of Edinburgh, the use of improved taxiing. The reduced schedule of flights at some congested airports has helped to reduce delays to inbound aircraft."

The spokesman said a 14 per cent punctuality improvement at Heathrow to 80 per cent was likely to have had a positive impact on the Scottish airports as the London hub was their number one destination.

Overall, 81 per cent of scheduled flights at ten major airports – including all five around London – were on time.

This was 11 per cent better than in spring 2008 and the best April-June figure since 1995.