Wizz Air once again topped the delay list last year

Despite efforts to improve punctuality, the Hungarian-based Wizz Air emerged as the airline with the most delays in the UK last year. Although no complete European list is available, the UK’s aviation authority ensures transparency by regularly publishing detailed data on flight performance to and from the country, highlighting the significance of punctuality in the aviation industry.

Post-COVID rebound

Okosutas writes that two summers ago, Wizz Air was operating with minimal reserves, leaving it particularly vulnerable during the post-COVID rebound. The airline was hit hardest by external factors, mainly staff shortages at airports, resulting in severe delays and cancellations in 2022. In response, the budget airline revamped its schedules, increased buffer times and pledged significant investments to enhance operations. Despite these efforts, recent data reveals that these measures were insufficient, and the airline still topped the delay list last year.

Photo: FB/Wizz Air

List of shame

On a positive note, the percentage of completed flights has returned to normal, with relatively few cancellations. However, the average Wizz Air flight was delayed by over half an hour last year, a concerning figure. Following Wizz Air, the airlines with the worst delay records were Turkish Airlines, TUI, Air India and the low-cost carrier Pegasus.

Wizz Air vs Ryanair

Wizz Air has increased its turn-around time to 40 minutes, compared to Ryanair’s 25 minutes. While Wizz Air operates larger aircraft, making a comparison of the two budget airlines almost impossible, the difference is noticeable to passengers. Ryanair’s planes often seem to turn around almost immediately, with new passengers boarding just five minutes after the previous ones disembark. In contrast, Wizz Air’s boarding process is significantly slower. Although this results in cleaner cabins, it does not improve their delay statistics.

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