Gatwick Airport: One in five holidaymakers will avoid airports altogether in 2023, according to survey data

Due to this year’s airport staff shortages, 18% of Brits told the insurance comparison site that they will fly less in 2023, and 18% say they will only take a staycation, opting to steer clear from airlines altogether.

Meanwhile, 15% of travellers will try to avoid flying from the worst affected airports next year, in an attempt to dodge a recurrence of this year’s chaos. Overall, 46% of Brits said that this year’s airport issues have impacted their plans for next year in some way.

Top 10 airports with the highest rate of cancelled flights

Glasgow

Heathrow

Aberdeen

Manchester

Edinburgh

Bristol

Gatwick

Birmingham

Stansted

East Midlands International

Glasgow Airport tops the list of this year’s 10 worst airports, as it had the highest percentage of cancelled flights on average. Its neighbouring Scottish airports of Aberdeen and Edinburgh also made the list, coming in at third and fifth place respectively.

June saw the most cancelled flights out of the summer months, as more holidaymakers travelled abroad. In this month, it was Bristol Airport that had the highest percentage of cancelled flights out of these 10 locations. Despite being out of peak season, February was actually the month with the most cancelled flights overall.

Ceri McMillan, travel expert at Go.Compare, said: “The CAA data suggests that larger and busier airports were the worst affected by cancellations this year, and our research clearly shows that some travellers will take this into account when planning for 2023.

“If holidaymakers do opt to take fewer flights and avoid flying from these airports, there may be an increase in customers booking to depart from smaller, regional airports. It’s possible, too, that other methods of travelling abroad could see a rise in demand next year.

“Whether you choose to fly or not, and no matter where from, we strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance for any holiday, even for those staying in the UK, so that no one is caught out should the unexpected happen.”

The current cost of living crisis will also impact travel plans for 2023, as some holidaymakers will choose to travel less, look for cheaper breaks and take more staycations. A fifth (20%) plan to reduce the number of getaways they take next year, while 22% say they will spend less on a holiday and 12% will search for cheaper destinations.

The percentage of travellers planning a short break has also tripled. Last year, just 8% said they intended to take this type of trip in 2022, a figure which has grown to 29% for 2023.[3] Plus, a huge 57% say that their plans will be affected if the cost of a holiday increases.

Overall, however, travel plans for 2023 have actually increased compared to this year, as a higher percentage of Brits want to go on holiday next year. Beach and city breaks are among those that have increased, rising by 4% and 9% respectively.[3]

More information can be found on Go.Compare’s website.