One third of London flights hit by delays

Worse for London's reputation as the business capital of the world, more than half the flights on flagship routes to and from JFK in New York and Dubai do not land on time - or even near.

Congestion at London's already-full airport terminals, security clampdowns and the time it takes passengers to get through to departure lounges have produced embarrassing punctuality figures, according to latest Civil Aviation Authority statistics. Figures for April to June show a drastic downturn in performance - the worst since 9/11 apart from last autumn's chaos when the latest security measures were brought in.

"The overall on-time performance - defined as up to 15 minutes late - of scheduled airlines at 10 UK airports monitored fell by four percentage points from 72% to 68%," said the CAA.

However, the detailed statistics reveal that delays are worst in London. Heathrow is on course to have worse punctuality figures even than last year, with only 64% of flights arriving on time against 65% last year when the last four-and-a-half months dissolved into chaos. Performance is most embarrassing on the most lucrative and eyecatching Heathrow routes. A staggering 54% of flights to and from JFK are late, with an average delay of 36 minutes.

The figure for New York's other airport, Newark, is 49%, with an average delay of 32 minutes. About half of flights to Los Angeles are also late while 51% of those to Dubai, the emerging business centre of the world, are late, with an average 23-minute delay.

Punctuality at Gatwick, which was 79% in 2003, is now at 65%. At Stansted, punctuality is down to 73%. Three years ago, four in five of its flights were on time.

The blame game has already begun, with Heathrow operator BAA saying it is the fault of the airlines, not the airports.

A spokesman for Heathrow said: "You have to remember that one-third of planes arrive late, and that - at an airport which is already operating at nearly 100% capacity - has an impact on departing planes."

Aviation insiders argued that the airlines have to take a share of the blame for causing delays over a host of issues, not least their own new baggage restrictions.

It is not just BAA airports. Performance at London City Airport, the terminal of choice for Continent-hopping Canary Wharf bankers and lawyers, has plummeted. Only 65% of flights were on time in the quarter. This comes at a time when City Airport has admitted its schedules are full.

City's punctuality was 71% last year, and was as high as 82% in 2004.

Infamous five

For more information see www.caa.co.uk/punctuality