Tui among worst airlines for delays as fresh data lands

Newly analysed aviation data suggests Tui is among the worst major UK airlines for flight delays from British airports, with average wait times that remain significantly higher than before the pandemic.

Fresh analysis highlights Tui’s punctuality problem

Recent analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) punctuality figures by multiple travel and consumer outlets indicates that Tui continues to sit near the bottom of the league table for on-time performance from UK airports. While low-cost rival Wizz Air has frequently been identified as the single worst performer for average delay length, Tui is repeatedly ranked close behind in terms of how long passengers are kept waiting.

Coverage based on CAA data for 2022 showed Tui with average delays of just over 40 minutes across all scheduled and charter flights from UK airports, one of the longest wait times of any major carrier in that period. Further assessment of departure data between 2024 and early 2025 suggests that, although punctuality has improved in some parts of the network, Tui is still struggling to match the performance of several competitors and remains among the least reliable for on-time take off.

Separately, a ranking compiled in late 2025 using CAA statistics from the first nine months of that year put Tui at the bottom of the table for on-time performance among significant UK operators. According to that study, fewer than six in ten Tui flights departed and arrived as scheduled, underlining the scale and persistence of the airline’s punctuality challenges.

Average wait times remain above pre-pandemic norms

The data points to a wider pattern of deteriorating punctuality since before Covid-19, with Tui among the airlines that have been slower to return to pre-2020 standards. Consumer research comparing CAA figures from 2019 with those from May 2024 to April 2025 indicates that several large UK carriers have seen average delays increase, but Tui consistently features as one of the worst performers in this post-pandemic period.

Across major airlines examined, average departure delays have risen into the mid- to high-20-minute range per flight in some seasons, yet Tui’s recorded averages over recent years have often sat well above that, particularly during peak holiday months. Earlier analyses of the 2022 summer schedule, for example, found that a majority of Tui flights operating in and out of the UK were delayed by at least 15 minutes, and that its average delay meaningfully exceeded many rivals.

These patterns mean that for many leisure travellers, especially those heading to Mediterranean and Canary Island destinations, flying with Tui can involve a significantly higher risk of extended waits at the gate or on the tarmac. Industry observers note that this has implications not only for passenger satisfaction, but also for tightly timed package itineraries, cruise connections and onward ground transport booked through tour operators.

Why holiday airlines are under particular strain

Analysts point to a combination of structural and operational factors that may help explain why Tui and some other holiday-focused airlines appear among the worst for delays. Unlike point-to-point low-cost carriers that can flex capacity across a wide route network, Tui’s schedule is heavily concentrated on seasonal leisure routes that are busiest during school holidays and summer peaks.

During those peaks, aircraft and crew can be tightly scheduled, leaving limited slack in the system when earlier flights fall behind schedule. Any disruption on morning rotations, such as weather or air traffic control issues, can cascade through the day and into the late evening, leading to the lengthy average waits reflected in the CAA statistics.

Industry commentary also highlights broader pressures across European airspace, including staff shortages in air traffic management, congestion around major hubs and knock-on effects from industrial action in several countries. While these issues affect all airlines to some degree, carriers with dense holiday schedules to popular sun destinations can be particularly exposed when bottlenecks develop in certain regions.

How Tui compares with rival UK carriers

When set against other large UK-based airlines, Tui’s record on punctuality stands out for the wrong reasons. Data-driven reports over the past three years have repeatedly placed Wizz Air at or near the top of the table for average delay lengths, with British Airways, easyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair occupying a broad middle band.

In multiple annual and seasonal analyses, Tui has typically appeared either directly behind Wizz Air or within the bottom tier of the rankings for average departure delays. In one widely cited comparison of six major UK airlines using CAA figures from mid-2024 to spring 2025, Tui was identified as the worst for punctuality in that group, while airlines such as Jet2 and Ryanair recorded shorter average wait times.

The picture is not uniformly negative. Some more recent datasets suggest incremental improvement in Tui’s performance, with average delays edging down compared with the worst of the 2022 peaks. Even so, on current evidence, the airline remains among the carriers most likely to keep passengers waiting beyond their scheduled departure time, particularly on popular leisure routes and at certain regional bases.

What the figures mean for passengers

For UK travellers planning trips with Tui, the latest punctuality data underscores the importance of building in extra time for potential disruption, especially when making onward connections or travelling with young families. Travel advisers often recommend allowing generous buffers between flights and pre-booked transfers, and avoiding tight same-day links with cruise departures where possible.

Consumer advocates also stress that passengers should familiarise themselves with their rights under UK and European regulations covering delays and cancellations. While airlines are not required to pay compensation in every disruption scenario, particularly when problems are attributed to external factors such as air traffic control restrictions or severe weather, travellers may still be entitled to meals, refreshments and accommodation during long waits, as well as re-routing in some circumstances.

For now, the publicly available figures present a clear message: despite some signs of gradual improvement in overall UK punctuality, Tui remains among the airlines most associated with long average delays out of British airports. Holidaymakers using the carrier this year may wish to pay close attention to schedules, allow additional time where possible and keep a close eye on real-time flight information on the day of travel.