Tui ranks among worst airlines for UK flight delays

Tui has emerged among the worst airlines for UK flight delays, according to new analyses of Civil Aviation Authority data that indicate punctuality remains stubbornly below pre-pandemic levels across much of the industry.

CAA data puts Tui at the back of the pack

Recent analyses of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) departure statistics between May 2024 and April 2025 show that Tui recorded the lowest share of on-time departures among six major UK-focused carriers, including British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and Wizz Air. Publicly available figures collated by consumer advocates indicate that Tui passengers were more likely than those flying with its main rivals to leave at least 15 minutes behind schedule.

The findings, highlighted in coverage by consumer group Which? and travel industry outlets, underline that schedule reliability has become a persistent weak spot for the leisure-focused airline. While all of the large UK airlines examined saw on-time performance deteriorate compared with 2019, the gap between Tui and its peers was marked enough for analysts to place it at or near the bottom of league tables for punctuality.

Separate rankings compiled from CAA punctuality data for 2023 and 2024 have also placed Tui among the carriers with the longest average delays on UK departures, alongside low-cost rivals Wizz Air and Ryanair. These tables typically measure the average minutes late per flight, providing another perspective on how consistently airlines manage to keep to their advertised schedules.

Tui has previously stressed in public statements that it operates a high completion rate for flights and that a large majority of its holidays depart as planned. However, the latest datasets suggest that, when disruptions do occur, its customers are facing longer or more frequent delays than those booked with several competing airlines.

Delays worse than pre-pandemic across UK skies

The poor showing for Tui comes against a backdrop of wider deterioration in UK flight punctuality. CAA data reviewed by consumer advocates shows that from May 2024 to April 2025, every one of the six major UK airlines assessed recorded worse on-time performance than in 2019. Industry observers say this confirms what many travellers have experienced at airports over the past two summers: delays have become a routine part of the journey.

Across the network, the proportion of flights leaving or arriving within 15 minutes of their scheduled time has fallen compared with pre-pandemic norms. Average delays per flight remain significantly above 2019 levels, even as overall passenger numbers have recovered. Travel rights firms that crunch CAA statistics report that UK on-time rates improved slightly during early 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier, but not enough to return to pre-Covid reliability.

This picture is echoed by Europe-wide punctuality studies, which show continued pressure on departure and arrival times at many large hubs. Industry punctuality reports for 2024 point to rising air traffic volumes, recurring bottlenecks in airspace management and lingering staffing constraints at airports as factors that keep average delay minutes per flight elevated across the continent.

For UK holidaymakers, the upshot is that long queues at departure gates and late arrivals at resort airports are still more likely today than before the pandemic. In that environment, an airline’s relative performance on punctuality has become a key differentiator for travellers seeking to minimise the risk of disruption.

What is driving Tui’s delay record?

Analysts reviewing Tui’s place in delay rankings point to the airline’s operating model as one potential contributor. As a leisure specialist, Tui tends to run dense, seasonal schedules focused on peak holiday periods and popular sun destinations. That can leave little slack in the system if an aircraft or crew is delayed earlier in the day, with knock-on effects for later flights.

Industry reports also highlight ongoing structural strains affecting all carriers, such as air traffic control restrictions, airport staffing challenges and tight turnaround times on busy routes. Tui, like rivals, has attributed some of its past disruption to factors including air traffic control issues and ground handling constraints. However, consumer advocates argue that airline scheduling choices and fleet planning play a significant role in determining whether external shocks translate into systematic delays.

Publicly available financial and operational updates from Tui show the group investing in more fuel-efficient aircraft and renewing parts of its fleet, which could improve resilience over time. At the same time, reports of summer congestion at key bases such as Manchester, Birmingham and other major regional airports underscore how vulnerable tightly timed charter-style operations can be to localized problems.

Travel commentators note that Tui is far from alone in grappling with these pressures. Yet the latest CAA-based analyses suggest that it has, at least over the most recent 12-month period assessed, fared worse than its closest UK competitors when it comes to getting flights away on time.

Passenger impact and rights under UK261

For travellers, Tui’s position near the bottom of punctuality tables has practical consequences that go beyond the frustration of staring at airport departure boards. Longer and more frequent delays can mean missed connections on separately booked flights, late arrivals at hotels or cruise departures, and shorter holidays when outbound journeys lose several hours to disruption.

Under the UK261 passenger rights rules, which mirror key elements of the former EU261 regime, travellers on flights departing the UK may be entitled to fixed-sum compensation if they arrive at their destination three hours or more late and the cause is deemed to be within the airline’s control. Public guidance from regulators and consumer organisations makes clear that issues such as crew rostering problems, routine technical faults and tight scheduling generally do not count as extraordinary circumstances.

Consumer advice services report sustained demand from passengers seeking to recover costs for delayed and cancelled flights, with compensation claims worth billions of pounds filed across the UK market in recent years. As airlines such as Tui appear more frequently in league tables of late-running carriers, specialists expect awareness of these rights to continue to grow among holidaymakers.

However, claiming compensation can still be complex, particularly when airlines attribute delays to wider system problems such as air traffic control restrictions or airport fuel shortages. Advocacy groups encourage passengers to keep detailed records of disruption, including boarding passes, delay notifications and any written explanations provided at the time, to support potential claims.

How Tui compares with rivals as summer demand surges

The timing of the latest punctuality rankings is significant, arriving just as the UK’s main summer getaway season begins. Competitor analysis shows that airlines such as Jet2 and some major low-cost carriers have achieved comparatively stronger on-time performance over the same period in which Tui has struggled, even though all operators have faced the same broad market conditions.

Some industry rankings for 2023 and 2024 have placed Jet2 among the most reliable UK carriers by both delay rates and cancellation levels, while flag carrier British Airways and budget airlines like Ryanair have tended to sit in the middle of the pack. In contrast, Tui’s repeat appearance near the bottom of punctuality tables has drawn scrutiny from consumer commentators focused on package holiday reliability.

With demand for overseas travel now at or above 2019 levels on many key leisure routes, pressure on schedules is unlikely to ease in the short term. Travel experts suggest that airlines with more conservative timetables, additional standby aircraft and robust staffing are better placed to cope with spikes in disruption, whether from weather, ground handling issues or airspace constraints.

For now, publicly available data indicates that Tui customers face a higher-than-average risk of late departures when compared with several other major UK operators. As the airline heads into another busy summer, its performance on punctuality is likely to be closely watched by regulators, consumer groups and travellers weighing up which carrier to choose for their next holiday.