Worst airports for flight delays and cancellations

A recent study from flight tracking site FlightAware reveals the worst airports for delays and cancellations around the world. Using data from between 26 May and 19 July 2022, the study provides a snapshot of the state of the aviation industry.

FlightAware’s report features two lists: one with the airports with the most delays and one with those with the most cancelled flights.

Read: Travel SOS: What not to touch at the airport

According to FlightAware, the worst airport in the world for delays at the moment is Pearson International in Toronto, which saw a huge 52.5 per cent of all flights delayed during the given period. That’s more than half of all flights. Pearson was followed by Frankfurt (45.4 per cent) and Paris Charles de Gaulle (43.2 per cent).

Australia didn’t escape unscathed either, Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport appeared on both lists.

Here are the top 10 airports with the highest percentage of delayed flights:

1. Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada (52.5 per cent of flights delayed)
2. Frankfurt Airport, Germany (45.4 per cent)
3. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, France (43.2 per cent)
4. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Netherlands (41.5 per cent)
5. London Gatwick Airport, UK (41.1 per cent)
6. Heathrow Airport, UK (40.5 per cent)
7. Munich Airport, Germany (40.4 per cent)
8. Athens International Airport, Greece (37.9 per cent)
9. Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, Australia (34.2 per cent)
10. Orlando International Airport, USA (33.4 per cent)

Arguably, what’s worse than a delayed flight is a completely cancelled one.

Read: Top tips to avoid airport chaos

When it comes to cancellations, FlightAware says that the worst offender is Shenzhen Bao’an International in China, which has seen 7.9 per cent of all flights cancelled in recent weeks. Second- and third-worst are two airports that serve New York: Newark (7.4 per cent) and LaGuardia (7 per cent).

Here are the top 10 airports with the highest percentage of cancelled flights:

1. Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, China (7.9 per cent of all flights cancelled)
2. Newark Liberty International Airport, USA (7.4 per cent)
3. LaGuardia Airport, USA (seven percent)
4. Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada (6.5 per cent)
5. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Indonesia (6.2 per cent)
6. Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, Australia (5.9 per cent)
7. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, China (5.2 per cent)
8. Washington Ronald Reagan National Airport, USA (5 per cent)
9. Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, China (4.6 per cent)
10. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands (3.9 per cent)

Look at flights out of smaller airports

If you want to avoid cities with high cancellations, consider flying out of smaller, regional airports. Bigger airports may be more convenient when you book your flight, but they also have more passengers and more flights, which means there’s a greater chance something will go wrong. Smaller airports are usually better equipped to handle the needs of their flights and, as a result, have a lower chance of things going wrong.

Read: Scanning luggage, a vital part of airport security

For instance, London – whose Heathrow came in at 42nd with a 2.2 per cent cancellation rate and 40.7 per cent of flights delayed, and Gatwick in 49th with 1.9 per cent cancellations and 41.7 per cent delay rate – aren’t the only ones serving international passengers in the English capital city. London “has alternative airports for international trips such as London Stansted, London City Airport, and London Luton”, says Laura Citron, CEO of Visit London. Each of these three smaller airports have far fewer cancellations and delays – so few that they didn’t make FlightAware’s list.

Have you flown out of any of the airports on these lists? Did you have any trouble with your flight? Let us know in the comments section below.

If you enjoy our content, don’t keep it to yourself. Share our free eNews with your friends and encourage them to sign up.