Emirates: flights 3+ hours late or cancelled at UK airports

Of 14,015 scheduled Emirates flights to and from UK airports in 2025, 0.6% were cancelled or at least 3 hours late (95% range 0.53%–0.80%), measured at the UK airport. Source: UK CAA.

How it works ↓

Data: CAA punctuality statistics, calendar year 2025 (published 25 February 2026) · calculated 3 November 2026 · Methodology and sources

0.6%3+ hours late or cancelled

14,015scheduled flights 2025

By UK airport

UK airport	Scheduled flights	3h+ late or cancelled	95% range	Cancelled
London Heathrow	4,496	0.6%	0.4%–0.8%	15
Manchester	2,199	1.4%	1.0%–1.9%	9
London Gatwick	2,193	0.5%	0.2%–0.8%	4
Birmingham	1,473	0.8%	0.5%–1.4%	11
London Stansted	1,462	0.2%	0.1%–0.6%	2
Glasgow	734	0.5%	0.2%–1.4%	3
Edinburgh	730	0.7%	0.3%–1.6%	1
Newcastle	728	0.1%	0.0%–0.8%	0

UK airports with at least 200 scheduled flights of this airline in 2025; linked airports (500+ flights) have a page with this airline's destinations and a comparison with the other airlines there.

Emirates rarely disrupted British flights in 2025: its share is less than half the average across the country's 25 airports (1.6%). One airport spoils an otherwise even picture.

Manchester versus the other airports

At seven of the company's eight UK airports, its share runs from 0.1% (Newcastle) to 0.8% (Birmingham). At London Heathrow there were 4,496 flights, 0.6% and 15 cancellations; at London Stansted 0.2%. Manchester stands out: 2,199 flights, 1.4%, 21 delays of 3+ hours, twice as bad as the company overall. For how all carriers perform there, see the Manchester – Dubai route.

What a delay on a flight to Dubai pays

London Heathrow to Dubai is 5,498 km, further than the 3,500 km threshold. Under UK261, on a flight like that a delay of 3 to 4 hours pays half (£260), and more than 4 hours pays in full (£520). The rules apply on departure from the UK, whatever the airline, as the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) confirms. The Heathrow – Dubai page counts all airlines together: 6,949 flights, 1.3%.

Caveats

This is an upper estimate of flights where compensation may be due. Weather, air traffic control, strikes by third parties and security problems are “extraordinary circumstances” and give no right to compensation; cancellations announced 14 days or more ahead do not either.
The CAA measures delay at the UK airport (departure or arrival). The legal test is the delay on arrival at the final destination.
Flights in both directions are combined. For flights from an EU airport, EU261 applies when the airline is an EU airline (€250 / €400 / €600), UK261 when it is a UK airline.
Shares differ between airlines partly because of where and when they fly: routes to islands and airports with frequent weather or air traffic control restrictions raise the share without the airline being at fault.