This airport had the highest number of cancellations in the UK last year

Southampton airport recorded the highest cancellation rate of all major UK airports last year, new analysis has found.

More than 900,000 passengers pass through its terminal each year, making it a key regional flight hub for the south of England.

However, analysis of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data by airline compensation company AirAdvisor found that between January and October 2025, three per cent of scheduled flights at the airport were cancelled.

The CAA classifies a cancelled flight as “the non-operation of a previously planned flight, announced less than 24 hours before or after its scheduled departure time”.

Southampton was awarded the same dubious honour in 2024, with 3.1 per cent of flights cancelled – almost three times as many as the national average of 1.09 per cent.

The decision to cancel a flight sits with the airline, rather than the airport.

A spokesperson for Southampton airport said: “An airline's decision to reluctantly cancel a flight can be due to a number of factors including weather issues, air traffic congestion, delayed arrivals or technical issues with aircraft.

“We will continue to work with our airline partners and their handling agents to support them in their operations.”

Following Southampton were two airports in Scotland, Aberdeen and Glasgow, which both saw 1.6 per cent of flights cancelled in 2025.

Rounding off the top five were two airports serving the UK capital, with London City recording a cancellation rate of 1.5 per cent last year.

Meanwhile, Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport, saw 1.4 per cent of flights cancelled between January and November 2025.

Some airports, however, manage to keep their cancellation rate well below the national average.

Bournemouth airport recorded the lowest cancellation rate of any major UK airport in 2025, with just 0.17 per cent of flights cancelled.

Other London airports also reported a low cancellation rate last year, including Luton with 0.34 per cent and Stansted with 0.41 per cent.

Belfast International had a low rate with 0.49 per cent, and Bristol recorded 0.51 per cent.

Read more: What rights do you have to compensation for cancelled or delayed flights?