Gatwick Airport is the UK travel hub where travellers are most likely to experience a flight delay this summer, according to new research.
The UK’s second busiest airport, which saw 43 million people jet away from it last year and has 100,000 passengers a day, fared the worst in a global ranking of 250 terminals, coming in at a lowly 235th.
The latest travel report from passenger rights experts AirHelp, which assessed airports in 68 countries, rated each airport out of 10 in categories including on-time performance, customer feedback and quality of food and shops.
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In what is likely to be painful reading for Brits heading abroad in the peak holiday season, Heathrow, the nation’s biggest and busiest airport, also scored dismally in the list – landing in 178th place.
There was more positive news for two other UK hubs though, with Liverpool John Lennon Airport recognised as the country’s best-performing airport, and ranking at an impressive 35th.
And one London airport did flourish, with London City also performing well and ranking a respectable 56th place in the list.
Leeds Bradford was in the bottom half in 132nd place, with Birmingham in 214th and Manchester – which had 30 million passengers in 2024 – in 220th place.
So, which airports took the top spots? Cape Town International Airport in South Africa was listed at number one.
Passengers jetting away from London’s Gatwick Airport this summer might want to look away now, the hub ranked at 235th out of 250 airports in new research by AirHelp
The West Sussex international hub saw 43 million people transit through it in 2024 – but the Airport Score says it’s the UK airport where travellers are most likely to experience delays
The airport is smaller than its UK counterparts but growing, with three million two-way international passengers recorded in 2024.
In second and third place were two Middle East hubs, both of which have had millions of pounds of investment in them.
Doha’s futuristic Hamad International Airport, which was named the World’s Best Airport at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2024, came second.
Places ranked highest to lowest:
Liverpool John Lennon Airport: 35th
London City: 56th
Leeds Bradford: 132nd
London Heathrow: 178th
Birmingham: 214th
Manchester: 220th
London Gatwick: 235th
And Riyadh King Khaled Airport in Saudi Arabia took the third spot based on AirHelp’s criteria.
Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of the brand, which has been publishing the Airport Score since 2015, said: ‘As millions of people prepare for their summer holidays, our data offers a clear picture of where travellers are most – and least – likely to face delays.
‘While it’s great to see airports like Liverpool and London City performing well, others continue to fall short on key passenger expectations like punctuality and amenities.’
Meanwhile, holidaymakers jetting off on their summer breaks could be paying almost £200 for airport parking for just a four-day stay.
And the new data reveals that short-stay parking is almost 90 per cent more expensive in England than in Scotland.
But there is an alternative that few realise works out cheaper, according to research from price comparison website Confused.com – which says people are overpaying by not comparing their options.
Heathrow, Britain’s busiest airport, didn’t fare too much better, coming in at 178th on the list
Top of the tree: Hamad International Airport (pictured above) in Doha, Qatar, was in second place in AirHelp’s rankings
As millions of Britons prepare to head abroad for sunshine-filled breaks, many will be forking out to leave their car close to the terminals – with an average cost of £93.90 for four days in a short-stay car park.
Four days in a long-stay option sees an average bill of £59.
The most expensive parking was found at London City Airport, costing an eye-watering £189 for less than a week.
However, a London City Airport spokesperson said that only 10 per cent of their passengers use a private car, and ‘those that do use our car park enjoy being able to walk to our terminal from any area in a matter of minutes’.
Prices were the lowest offered on the websites of UK airports across four dates, with two periods in August and two in October, covering a mixture of peak and off-peak, as well as weekends and weekdays.
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