A new study from airport chauffeurs service SCS Chauffeurs has revealed which airport is the best to fly from this Christmas season. The study analysed the percentage of cancelled flights at 23 public airports during December for the last three years using data from the Civil Aviation Authority.
At a time of heightened stress and anxiety, travel issues can exacerbate the situation for more than two million people who fly over the Christmas period.
Overall, the percentage of cancelled flights from East Midlands Airport in December was 0.27 percent making it the best airport to fly from this festive period.
This represented just nine cancelled flights in the last three years. East Midlands tied with Belfast Airport for the lowest percentage of cancellations during the holiday season.
Meanwhile, data from the CAA found that Aberdeen was the airport with the highest percentage of cancellations during December, with a rate of 7.18 percent.
The 10 best airports to fly from in December:
1. East Midlands
Total flights – 3,383
Total cancelled – 9
Percent cancellation rate – 0.27 percent
2. Belfast International
Total flights – 8,091
Total cancelled – 22
Percent cancellation rate – 0.27 percent
3. Exeter
Total flights – 1,032
Total cancelled – 6
Percent cancellation rate – 0.58 percent
4. Luton
Total flights – 20,738
Total cancelled – 212
Percent cancellation rate – 1.01 percent
5. Birmingham
Total flights – 14,801
Total cancelled – 162
Percent cancellation rate – 1.08 percent
6. Liverpool
Total flights – 6,228
Total cancelled – 70
Percent cancellation rate – 1.11 percent
7. Jersey
Total flights – 3,371
Total cancelled – 39
Percent cancellation rate – 1.14 percent
8. Bristol
Total flights – 11,655
Total cancelled – 150
Percent cancellation rate – 1.27 percent
9. Stanstead
Total flights – 34,145
Total cancelled – 529
Percent cancellation rate – 1.53 percent
10. Gatwick
Total flights – 46,372
Total cancelled – 736
Percent cancellation rate – 1.56 percent
Hadleigh Diamond, commercial director at SCS Chauffeurs, said: “Travelling at Christmas time is even more stressful than usual and cancellations can cause major issues if you’re flying to be with family.
“While some airports experience more cancellations than others, it was heartening to see that the percentage of cancellations even for airports at the other end of the scale was still quite low.
“On top of delays and cancellations, studies have found that traffic and travelling to the airport are some of the biggest stressors for travellers so make sure to leave plenty of time for travel and use a trusted method of travel to reduce your stress.”