Figures released by the online travel agency Hopper reveal which airports in Europe ranked the worst for flight delays in July 2022, and two Dutch airports have managed to make it into the top 10. 

Over 60 percent of flights at Schiphol and Eindhoven are delayed

It’s been impossible to avoid the news about Schiphol this summer, with the airport making headlines around the world for the extremely long queues and excessive delays caused by high passenger numbers and severe staff shortages. While the situation at Schiphol is dire, it isn’t the only airport in the Netherlands - or Europe - suffering. Indeed, chaotic scenes have been observed at airports across the continent, as travellers face hours-long security queues, cancelled flights, and lost luggage. 

According to Hopper, Schiphol isn’t even the worst Dutch airport when it comes to flight delays. At the largest airport in the Netherlands, 61 percent of flights were delayed in there first 10 days of July, and 5,2 percent were cancelled, putting it in eighth place overall. But, coming in third place is Eindhoven Airport, where 67 percent of flights were delayed and 1,8 percent were cancelled. The news comes just weeks after Schiphol was ranked one of the best airports in the world.

Spokespeople from both Schiphol and Eindhoven said that there were multiple possible reasons for flights to be delayed, ranging from poor weather to issues on the runways, but added that some flights had been purposely delayed in order to provide travellers with enough time to make it onto their flights. “It can be five minutes or 15 minutes or half an hour - it depends on whether there is room in the timetable,” the spokesperson from Eindhoven Airport explained.

The worst airports in Europe for flight delays and cancellations

In July, the worst airports in Europe for flight delays and cancellations are:

1. Brussels Airport - 72 percent of flights delayed, 2,5 percent cancelled
2. Frankfurt International Airport - 68 percent delayed, 7,8 percent cancelled
3. Eindhoven Airport - 67 percent delayed, 1,8 percent cancelled
4. Luton Airport - 66 percent delayed, 2,7 percent cancelled
5. Liszt Ferenc International Airport - 65 percent delayed, 2,1 percent cancelled
6. Lisbon Airport - 65 percent delayed, 4,8 percent cancelled
7. Charles De Gaulle Airport - 62 percent delayed, 3,1 percent cancelled
8. Schiphol Airport - 61 percent delayed 5,2 percent cancelled
9. Cote D’Azur Airport - 60 percent delayed, 3,4 percent cancelled
10. Gatwick Airport - 59 percent delayed, 1,4 percent cancelled

Currently, the best airport in Europe for on-time departures is Bergamo/Orio al Serio Airport in Italy, where only 3 percent of flights are delayed, and 1 percent are cancelled. For more information about the data, and for tips about minimising disruptions when travelling this summer, visit Hopper’s website.