Particle.news
Download on the App Store
5 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

Gatwick Airport Named UK's Worst for Delays for Second Year

The airport averaged over 23-minute departure delays in 2024, with staffing shortages and capacity limits cited as key challenges despite ongoing improvement efforts.

In September more than 100 flights were cancelled and more delayed because of staff problems
Image
Image

Overview

  • Gatwick Airport recorded the longest average departure delay in the UK in 2024, at 23 minutes and 18 seconds, per CAA data, though this marked an improvement from nearly 27 minutes in 2023.
  • Staffing shortages in Gatwick's air traffic control tower, managed by Nats, contributed to significant delays in June and September 2024, with over 140 flight cancellations across both instances.
  • Eurocontrol attributed Gatwick's poor punctuality to its single-runway congestion and weather constraints, with only 60.7% of flights departing within 15 minutes of schedule in 2024.
  • The UK government has endorsed a £2.2 billion project to bring Gatwick's northern runway into full operation to address capacity challenges and reduce delays.
  • Gatwick is trialling operational measures, including remote jet-bridge coordination and new aircraft separation methods, to improve on-time performance in 2025.