Late Flights after 9:30pm in 2024
- BCAW
- May 7
- 2 min read
The statistics on flight arrivals and departures for the City Airport for 2024 have finally become available. Just like last year they make for depressing reading. There was a total of 357 lates recorded, 269 late arrivals and 88 late departures. This compares with a total of 342 in 2023, comprising 270 late arrivals and 72 late departures – 15 late flights more than last year.
In our analysis last year we discovered that the airlines with the worst record for punctionality were EasyJet on their Belfast/London/Gatwick route with 46 lates and Aer Lingus/Emerald which racked up a disgraceful 47. In 2023 the two worst performing routes for time- keeping were easyJet on the Belfast/Gatwick and Aer Lingus/ Emerald on Belfast/Glasgow. When we added up all Aer Lingus/Emerald’s late flights we discovered that they were late 165 times, accounting for nearly half of the overall total of lates.
The City airport deserves censure too, as it frequently uses IATA (International Air Transport Association) code 93 to explain the reason for a late flight.This is shorthand for “Aircraft Rotation – late arrival of aircraft from another flight or previous sector.” This is not sufficient as it offers no explanation as to why the aircraft is late and the airport is required to offer the reasons for these flights being delayed in their bi - monthly reports to DFI.
There are no medals either for the Department for Infrastructure. There were 44 flights without any specific reason for the delay and this was accepted by the DFI. We will be raising this with the DFI in the near future.
The apparent contempt for the thousands on the ground suffering the noise and disturbance caused by late flights is very concerning, The airlines ignore the curfew seemingly at will, the airport imposes the gentlest of sanctions and the DFI rubber-stamp anything put in front of it.
If you share our anger about late flights and the off-hand way in which complaints are dealt with, tell your MP or MLA and join Belfast City Airport Wach as a supporter.
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