News

AIRTOURS International has turned in the worst on-time performance of any major UK charter carrier for the third year running, according to latest figures issued by the Air Transport Users Council.

The carrier - now rebranded as MyTravel Airways - kept holidaymakers waiting for an average of 54 minutes last year, with over a fifth of its flights delayed by an hour

or more. The results plunged the airline from 12th in 2000 to 17th place out of 25 charters operating in the UK last year.

AUC chief executive Simon Evans said he believed the price of a holiday pointed to the likely length of delays.

“Airtours International can’t blame air traffic control and the weather because every airline is competing in the same conditions,” he said.

“There seems to be a correlation between the price people pay for their holiday and the delays they experience. Perhaps Airtours’ pile ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap strategy doesn’t allow for measures to reduce delays.”

MyTravel Airways managing director Dave Betts insisted delays would be tackled. He said: “I admit we’ve had a disappointing year - it’s not nice to be picked out by the AUC as a poor timekeeper.

“But we have simplified our procedures and flying programme and we’re already seeing the benefits of that in fewer delays so far this winter.”

Excel Airways’ average delay fell from 66 minutes to 21 minutes after a sustained investment programme to improve on-time performance, while JMC Airlines saw delays fall by an average of 13 minutes.

JMC Airlines managing director Mohamed El-Borai said: “We’ve got everyone involved, our pilots and cabin crew, our handling agents and our operations centre, just so we can break down and improve on the elements causing delays.”

Air 2000, Britannia Airways and Monarch Airlines showed small improvements in the percentage of their flights delayed by an hour or more, but the biggest UK charters still had a 32.8 minute average delay last year.

* Stansted had the worst charter and scheduled delays of any major UK airport last summer, according to Civil Aviation Authority figures. Only 50% of charter and 59% of scheduled flights left the Essex airport on time last summer, compared to 61% of charters and 80% of scheduled flights at Newcastle.