The worst major airlines for flight delays in the last year have been revealed through a new investigation.

Analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data by the PA news agency showed that Wizz Air was the worst for flight delays from UK airports in 2022.

The Hungarian carrier’s UK departures were an average of 46 minutes and six seconds behind schedule last year.

That was more than three times longer than the previous year, when it was also ranked last for punctuality.

Consumer group Which? described the figures as “worrying” and claimed they demonstrate the need for the CAA to be given tougher powers.

East Lothian Courier: Wizz Air was the worst airline for flight delays from UK airports in 2022Wizz Air was the worst airline for flight delays from UK airports in 2022 (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

What other airlines fared poorly for fight delays?

Tui recorded the second-worst punctuality last year, with an average delay of 40 minutes and 18 seconds.

This was followed by Qatar Airways (31 minutes and 48 seconds), Turkish Airlines (29 minutes and 30 seconds) and Pegasus Airlines (27 minutes and 18 seconds).

Meanwhile, Norwegian Air Shuttle recorded the best performance with an average delay of just 13 minutes and 42 seconds.

The analysis took into account all scheduled and chartered departures from UK airports by airlines with more than 2,500 flights.

Cancelled flights were not included and the average delay for all these flights was 23 minutes.

What did the CAA say about the figures?

CAA consumer director Paul Smith claimed “too many passengers faced disappointing levels of delays” last year.

He went on: “The CAA has regularly asked for stronger consumer enforcement powers, including the ability to impose fines on airlines.

“When things do go wrong, we expect airlines to proactively provide passengers with information about their rights when flights are disrupted, as well as offer timely support and assistance.

“We’ve already raised concerns about Wizz Air and are working closely with the airline to improve outcomes for consumers.”