Almost a fifth of all flights from one UK airport have been cancelled so far in 2022.
Barra Airport in the Outer Hebrides has been named as the UK travel hub with the highest percentage of cancellations in 2022, with 101 of its 568 schedule flights - or 17.8% - grounded this year.
Pilots coming into the small island airport have to contend with high winds and the only runway in the world which is partially constructed on a tidal beach.
At certain points of the day sea water covers the landing strip, which has to be illuminated with vehicle lights and reflective strips if an emergency night-time landing needs to take place.
In second place is Campbeltown Airport - which is also situated off the west coast of Scotland and has similarly high winds to content with as well as relatively low passenger numbers.
Humberside Airport sits in third place, with 11% of its flights cancelled, and is the worst scoring international airport on the list.
Since the start of 2022 172 or its 1,557 flights have been cancelled, according to a money.co.uk analysis of CAA Flight Cancellation data.
The UK’s top 10 airports with the most flight cancellations in 2022:
Out of the UK’s 30 biggest airports, Southampton saw the highest number of delays (5%), followed by Kirkwall and Guernsey.
The study also revealed the 10 airports that saw the most flight cancellations in May 2022, providing a more up-to-date snapshot of how the travel hubs are coping post lockdown.
The UK airport that saw the highest percentage of flight cancellations in May was Humberside , with 10% of all flights cancelled.
The international airport consists of only one terminal and is situated in eastern England, in the middle of the city triangle that consists of Hull, Grimsby, and Scunthorpe
With 4.05% of flights cancelled in May 2022, Southampton airport ranks in second place. The airport offers flights to more than 30 destinations including the Netherlands, Portugal, and France.
Taking third place is London’s Gatwick airport, which saw 523 out of 22,050 flights cancelled in May (2%). Gatwick airport flies to more destinations than any other UK airport, handling over 43 million passengers a year.
Airports that have had no cancellations in 2022 include Southend, Bournemouth, Prestwick, Exeter, Shoreham and Teesside International - so, if you are thinking of flying this summer you may want to consider leaving from one of these.
James Andrews, Senior Personal Finance Expert at money.co.uk, said: With thousands of flights cancelled across the UK in May alone, the good news is that there are a number of ways you can deal with them.
“Before flying, make sure you know your rights and what you are entitled to if your flight gets cancelled. Under UK law, airlines must provide a reasonable amount of food and drink during a significant delay, which are often provided in the form of vouchers.
"These can usually be collected at check-in or bag drop from a member of the airline’s staff. Airlines must also provide accommodation if re-routed to the next day, or for as long as you are unable to fly, as well as transportation to and from the accommodation
“If airlines are unable to arrange assistance, it is important you keep all your receipts so you can claim the cost back at a later date. However, remember that airlines are unlikely to refund unreasonable costs such as alcoholic drinks.
“If you were given less than 14 days’ notice of the flight cancellation, you may be entitled to compensation. However, this is only the case if the cancellation is the airline’s fault.
"Cancellations caused by factors outside the airline's control, such as extreme weather and air traffic control issues, are not eligible for compensation.”
A spokesperson for Barra Airport said: “Barra Airport can be heavily impacted by weather conditions on a regular basis, which accounts for most cancellations. Technical issues with aircraft and the current challenges facing the aviation industry have also impacted flight schedules.
“We work closely with our airline partner to minimise any disruption to passengers. The beach landing at Barra remains a major attraction to those travelling to the island, and we offer our apologies to anybody who has been affected by the cancellations.”
