A study of global flight data by air passenger rights organization, AirHelp, found that easyJet and British Airways were responsible for the most disruptions during the peak travel season, with thousands of flights delayed or canceled each week. These findings have placed both airlines among the worst-performing airlines in Europe for on-time performance and reliability, highlighting the need for improvements in their scheduling and customer service operations.

Such rankings draw attention to issues in airline logistics and customer care, especially during high-demand travel periods, which can severely impact passengers’ travel experiences and lead to compensation claims.

Staff strikes and I.T ‘glitches’

Between 1 June and 31 August 2019, more than 11,500,000 passengers were affected by UK flight disruptions with tens of thousands of flights delayed or cancelled.

Wednesday 7 August saw a significant spike in travel disruption. Over 470 of British Airways flights were delayed or cancelled following an I.T. glitch, impacting the journeys of holidaymakers jetting off for the summer break. Even discounting this incident, data shows that an average of 170 British Airways flights were disrupted each day during the summer months with strikes and industrial action continuing to hamper the travel plans of UK air passengers into the Autumn.

The prospect of staff strikes became an all-too-familiar cause for passenger concern this summer. Ryanair was able to minimize disruption when its pilots walked out in August, but data shows the Irish carrier was responsible for 5,300 disrupted flights throughout the summer –  an average of more than 55 per day – making it the fourth worst airline for delays and cancellations.

Customers will forgive airlines if treat fairly worst performing airlines

Paloma Salmeron, air passenger rights expert at AirHelp, said:

“This study reveals the true extent of the disruptions that air passengers faced during the summer months. Most people will forgive the occasional unavoidable delay or cancellation, provided they are treated fairly, but they should not have to contend with disruption at this scale. We hope these statistics encourage the airline industry to improve.”

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 at AirHelp.

*Data analyzed from 1 June 2019 to 31 August 2019*

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