New Delhi: Another setback for Air India, the flagship aviation company of the Tata Group. A recently released report by the United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has ranked Air India as the worst airline operating flights from the UK.
Most Delayed Routes?
According to the report, in 2024, Air India flights departing from the UK were delayed by an average of 45 minutes and 48 seconds. Analysis of CAA data revealed that Air India flights from Gatwick to Bengaluru experienced the most significant delays, averaging 1 hour and 23 minutes. Aurigny Air Services (Guernsey) followed with an average delay of 31 minutes and 12 seconds, followed by SunExpress (Turkey) at 29 minutes and 36 seconds, and Air Portugal.
In contrast, Emerald Airlines (Ireland) performed the best, with an average delay of only 10 minutes and 30 seconds. This analysis included all airlines operating from UK airports that had flown over 2,500 flights in 2024. Cancelled flights were not included in this report.
Air India's Response
Air India attributed its delays to circumstances beyond its control. However, this explanation holds little weight for passengers. Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel magazine, deemed Air India's performance "completely unacceptable," stating that passengers are paying high fares but not receiving timely and reliable service.
Air India's Expansion and Tata's Role
Air India currently operates flights from major UK airports like Birmingham, Gatwick, and Heathrow to Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. According to Cirium data, Air India operated 56% more flights from the UK in 2023 compared to 2019, with projections of a 90% increase this year.
The Tata Group is undertaking significant efforts to restructure Air India. Aviation consultant John Strickland notes that improvements are underway in engineering, manpower, spare parts availability, and other crucial aspects to get the airline back on track.
Air India's Delays: How Long Will Passengers Wait?
Balancing Air India's increasing flight numbers with passenger expectations presents a significant challenge. Experts believe the airline must improve its operations to provide reliable and high-quality service to its passengers.
