Mykonos to London Gatwick is revealed as the most disrupted flight route in Europe, with 75% of all flights this year suffering delays. A popular destination for holidaymakers, this route is ranked at number one in ‘Europe’s 50 Most Disrupted Flight Routes’, a new study of global flight data throughout 2018 by AirHelp.

Nearly three quarters (72%) of air passengers flying from Gatwick to Bucharest this year would also have endured flight delays or cancellations, with the route placed 4th worst in the European ranking. This route is closely followed by flights from Venice to London Luton at 6th place, with more than two thirds (68%) of travellers experiencing disrupted flights in 2018.

Passengers travelling via UK airports are more likely to suffer delays and cancellations than any other European air travellers, with UK airports featuring in 25 of the 50 worst European flight routes. Those flying to or from Italian or German airports are also likely to endure travel chaos – Italian airports feature in 24 routes and German airports in 18 routes.

5 MOST DISRUPTED FLIGHTS ROUTES – UK DEPARTURES

Sunseekers heading for popular European holiday resorts in Ibiza, Turkey and Portugal are among the most delayed air passengers in Europe. Over half of these passengers departing from the UK (at least 58%) have suffered delays or cancellations.

*% of total flights cancelled or delayed over 15 minutes 1.1.18 to 9.10.18

5 MOST DISRUPTED FLIGHTS ROUTES – UK ARRIVALS

Travellers returning to the UK from Greek beaches, Venetian canals or Swiss ski slopes are the most likely to suffer from delays or cancellations, adding to the unwanted holiday blues.

*% of total flights cancelled or delayed over 15 minutes 1.1.18 to 9.10.18

European destinations will still be first choice for many Australian holidaymakers but AirHelp flight data analysis reveals some interesting insights and tips for savvy travellers looking to reduce their chances of experiencing flight disruption. Passengers flying on a Tuesday are least likely to suffer delays and cancellations, with 78% of flights arriving at their destinations on time. However, weekend travellers should be prepared for travel misery - more than 1 in 4 flights (29%) are delayed or cancelled on Sundays.

“This year, we’ve seen the worst European flight disruptions on record,” said Paloma Salmeron, air passenger rights expert at AirHelp. "Air passengers travelling from UK have suffered an unprecedented level of flight disruptions this year, with over 186,000 departing flights delayed or cancelled to date in 2018 - that’s over 27,000 more UK flights affected than last year.

“With a growing number of delayed and cancelled flights, European air passengers are enduring a rising tide of travel misery. Although it’s not always possible to avoid travel disruption, we urge affected passengers to check whether they are entitled to financial compensation. With average 86% of air travellers unaware of their air passenger rights, many are missing out on the compensation to which they are entitled by not filing a claim.”

Flight disruptions: Your rights

Flight cancellations, delays and boarding denials may entitle passengers to compensation of up to € 600 per person. This covers all flights departing from the EU, as well as those arriving at an EU airport if operated by a European carrier. Passengers have a legitimate right to compensation if they arrive at their destination more than three hours later than planned and the reason for the delay is deemed to be the airline’s responsibility. The amount of compensation owed is calculated from the length of the route. Affected passengers can claim compensation up to three years after their flight.

Air passengers experiencing delayed or cancelled flights can check their eligibility for compensation at the airport or on-the-go, and make a claim in a matter of minutes through the free AirHelp mobile app, available for iOS and Android.

-ENDS-

Europe’s 50 most disrupted flights routes

(Analysis of European flights routes with more than 200 flights 1st January 2018 - 9th October 2018)

**% of total flights cancelled or delayed over 15 minutes 1.1.18 to 9.10.18 

About AirHelp

AirHelp is the world’s leading flight compensation company, helping passengers to understand their rights and get compensation for delayed flights, canceled flights, and instances of denied boarding. Since launching in 2013, AirHelp has helped more than seven million people process airline compensation claims worth almost 800 million euros in total reimbursement. AirHelp has offices across the world, is available in 30 countries, offers support in 16 languages, and employs more than 550 employees globally.

AirHelp methodology

AirHelp’s database of global flight data aggregates multiple data points from a variety of reliable sources such as government agencies, airport databanks, flight-tracking vendors, historical resources and commercial data brokers. AirHelp is therefore able to maintain an accurate, real-time picture of flight disruptions occurring across the globe, the circumstances around these disruptions and the likelihood of further disruptions occurring.

Contact in Australia (Media and travel trade only)

Satu Raunola-Spencer 

Mob. +61 (0) 411 545617

Email: satu.raunola@airhelp.com

Minna Monaghan

Mob:  +61 (0) 419 800 96

Email: minna.monaghan@airhelp.com