London Southend tops UK punctuality ranking, CAA data shows

London Southend now ranks first among UK airports for punctuality, up from third. It recorded 84% on-time performance in the second quarter of 2026, according to Civil Aviation Authority statistics, overtaking Liverpool and Aberdeen.

The airport said the improvement followed work across successive quarters. It remains the UK's fastest-growing airport, a position it held in 2025 and kept through the first six months of 2026.

Management said the ranking matters for passengers across East London, Essex and East Anglia, particularly in a week when air traffic problems affected other parts of the country.

Five new routes begin from the end of October: Belfast City, Budapest, Edinburgh, Lyon and Sharm El Sheikh. The summer season is drawing to a close as those launches approach, and the airport said it is also extending a recently introduced service.