Which Aussie airports have the highest delay rates?

PSA: if you’re constantly missing your flight because you’re late to the airport, you need to see these new findings.

Sunshine Coast Airport has topped the list of Australia’s worst airports, according to a new analysis from finder.com.au.

Which means that if you’re prone to being late, this airport is perfect for you. You can’t miss a flight if it’s delayed, right?

This analysis of Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) data revealed which major Aussie airports saw the highest rates of departure delay in 2017. Or, more simply, which airports you’ll most likely experience hell trying to fly out of.

Sunshine Coast, which had 7,684 departing flights last year, had the highest delay rate of over 31 per cent– almost one in three. Which we think is absolutely nuts.

In second place, and the worst of the capital cities, was Hobart, with a delay rate of 27 per cent. That equals over 4,800 delayed flights – nearly one every two hours.

Delayed flights are one thing, but cancelled flights are in their own awful world – and according to the data, 25 per cent of cancelled flights took place in Sydney. The total number of cancelled flights in Australia was over 21,600, meaning that last year, over 5000 flights out of Sydney were cancelled.

Sydney was also the fifth-most delayed airport in 2017, with 20 per cent of its 214,000 flights behind schedule. Also in the top 10 was the Gold Coast, Launceston and Melbourne.

Bessie Hassan, Travel Insurance Expert at finder.com.au, said smaller airports (like the Sunshine Coast) are more likely to experience a knock-on effect from other flights.

“Many routes send a single aircraft between two ports multiple times a day. If an inbound flight runs late, this affects passengers waiting to depart on that plane,” she said.

“It’s also important to note that an airport’s delay rate is rarely due to a lack of airport infrastructure, but instead more likely to be the result of poor weather or congestion elsewhere.”

Port Lincoln Airport was the least delayed airport with only eight per cent of flights departing behind schedule in 2017.

Of Australia’s capital cities, Perth performed best with only 13 per cent of domestic flights delayed in 2017.

In light of these new findings, Hassan warned travellers to prepare in the case of a flight delay.

“If you do experience a delay or cancellation that is out of your control, you should be able to claim compensation through your travel insurance.

“However, insurance providers usually only accept a claim if your flight is delayed more than six hours,” she said.

In other words, if it’s only an hour delay just get some expensive airport food and wait it out.