One Scottish airport has been named as the worst in the country for travel disruption ahead of the festive season.
People all across Scotland will currently be planning their Christmas holidays, with many looking to see their loved ones. When you are rushing to get home in time for Christmas Day, there is nothing worse than being stuck on the tarmac.
A new study by Good Travel Management has revealed the most disrupted airports over the festive period based on last December’s delays. Coming in at number one for Scotland is Aberdeen Airport.
As reported by The Mirror, the airport saw more than 13 per cent of its flights delayed by more than an hour last year. The average delay was found to be 30 minutes and 35 seconds, while 5.6 per cent of flights were cancelled altogether.
Aberdeen Airport often faces especially wintry weather due to its northern location. It has previously been the subject of operational issues due to icy conditions that have caused delays.
In December 2023, a vehicle at the airport collided with a British Airways plane on the tarmac. The incident caused delays and left passengers grounded while engineers inspected the aircraft for damage.
Elsewhere in Scotland, Edinburgh Airport was named the airport with the second-worst delays. Travellers in Scotland’s capital city last December saw hour-long delays on more than 10 per cent of flights.
Meanwhile, according to the research, 2.7 per cent of flights at Edinburgh Airport were cancelled last December. The experts also found that the average delay was 21 minutes and 46 seconds.
Edinburgh Airport is the busiest airport in Scotland, welcoming millions of passengers every year. Last year, more than 100,000 people passed through the airport between December 22 and Christmas Eve.
Meanwhile, looking at the whole of the UK, Teesside International Airport in County Durham in England topped the list as the airport with the most delays last December. Passengers at the minor international airport experienced an average delay of 37 minutes and 40 seconds during the festive season, with almost a quarter of flights delayed by at least an hour.
On the other hand, Cardiff Airport was named the UK’s least disrupted travel hub last December. With more than one million passengers annually, passengers faced an average delay of just seven minutes and 24 seconds — while only 1.6 per cent of flights saw delays of more than an hour.
Laura Busby from Good Travel Management commented: “Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year for travel, regardless of whether you’re flying for business or pleasure. While delays are frustrating, understanding which airports are most affected can help alleviate some stress.”
She added: “As these statistics show, delays are a reality of December travel, but knowing which airports are most likely to experience problems can help both business travellers and holidaymakers plan ahead, choose more reliable options and reduce stress during the festive period. For those looking to avoid lengthy waits, Cardiff and Southend are standout options for smoother journeys if available.”
See below for the full list of the UK airports that faced the most disruption last December. Meanwhile, more information can be found on the Good Travel Management website.
- Teesside International, North East England
- Aberdeen, Scotland
- Exeter, South West England
- London Gatwick, South England
- Jersey, Channel Islands
- Liverpool, North West England
- Isle of Man
- East Midlands International, North England
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- London Heathrow, South England
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