Airport rankings reveal highest risk of missed flight connections

New AirHelp data has identified the UK and Ireland airports most associated with missed onward connections, highlighting significant differences between major hubs and regional airports.

The analysis of passenger claims shows London’s busiest airports and Dublin rank among the weakest performers for connection reliability. London Stansted recorded the lowest score at 4.31/10, followed by Heathrow at 4.69/10, Gatwick at 4.95/10, and Luton at 4.74/10. Dublin Airport also ranked poorly with 5.28/10. London City performed slightly better at 5.92/10.

By contrast, smaller regional airports significantly outperformed larger hubs. Newcastle International topped the rankings with 8.85/10, followed by George Best Belfast City at 8.18/10 and Glasgow International at 7.64/10. Mid-sized airports including Manchester (6.67/10) and Birmingham International (6.85/10) sat in the middle of the table.

The findings suggest that higher passenger volumes and complex hub operations increase the likelihood of disruption during transfers. Booking systems often indicate minimum connection times of 35–60 minutes, but AirHelp warned this may not reflect operational reality during peak periods.

AirHelp noted that passengers may be entitled to rebooking, care, and in some cases compensation of up to £520 under UK261 or EC261. The AirHelp app provides disruption alerts and eligibility checks for tighter connections.

Airlines recently removed nearly two million seats and cancelled an estimated 12,000–13,000 flights from May schedules as jet fuel shortages and soaring fuel prices linked to the Iran conflict disrupt the global aviation network.