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RAF Northolt flight delays: the record, day by day

Eurocontrol attributes air-traffic delay to RAF Northolt on the days it happens, with the cause. On its 25 worst days since 2019 the airport lost 747 minutes of arrival delay, mostly to aerodrome capacity and atc staffing. Days with nothing logged are a strong point for any passenger whose flight was late for another reason.

Was your RAF Northolt flight 3 hours late?

The day the flight was due to leave, in local time where it left. For an overnight flight, that is the evening you set off.

Same flight number twice that day? Add the departure code

Free. No account. The airline is not contacted.

Worst days on record

DateDelay minLateCause
1 June 20241404Special event
6 June 20241143ATC staffing
16 June 2023883Aerodrome capacity
19 June 2023811ATC staffing
3 October 2024662Aerodrome capacity
13 June 2023411Aerodrome capacity
20 July 2023371Aerodrome capacity
15 June 2023361Aerodrome capacity
14 June 2023352Aerodrome capacity
7 December 2025291Aerodrome capacity
15 January 2019241ATC staffing
30 June 2023221Special event
2 July 2026191ATC capacity
8 November 202150ATC equipment
18 October 202450Weather

Most recent days with delay logged

DateDelay minLateCause
2 July 2026191ATC capacity
7 December 2025291Aerodrome capacity
18 October 202450Weather
3 October 2024662Aerodrome capacity
17 June 202430ATC equipment
6 June 20241143ATC staffing
1 June 20241404Special event
20 July 2023371Aerodrome capacity
30 June 2023221Special event
19 June 2023811ATC staffing
17 June 202310Aerodrome capacity
16 June 2023883Aerodrome capacity
15 June 2023361Aerodrome capacity
14 June 2023352Aerodrome capacity
13 June 2023411Aerodrome capacity

Data to 30 September 2026. Eurocontrol publishes about a month in arrears.

What usually goes wrong at RAF Northolt

Aerodrome capacity45%
ATC staffing30%
Special event22%
ATC capacity3%

Share of logged delay minutes across the worst and most recent days shown above. Weather, ATC staffing, ATC capacity and equipment failures are the causes airlines most often plead as extraordinary; airport capacity and unspecified delay are arguable.

Questions

Is a delay at RAF Northolt caused by weather always an extraordinary circumstance?

No. The airline must show that the weather actually affected your flight and that it took all reasonable measures. Eurocontrol logs weather delay at RAF Northolt on specific days; if your day is not one of them, the weather defence has nothing behind it. If it is, the airline still has to connect it to your flight.

How do I find out if my RAF Northolt flight was delayed 3 hours?

Enter the flight number and date in the checker above. It pulls the recorded arrival time, works out the delay against the schedule, and shows what Eurocontrol and the airport weather logged for RAF Northolt that day.

Which airlines' passengers can claim after a RAF Northolt delay?

Any airline departing RAF Northolt is covered by EU261 regardless of nationality. Arrivals are covered when the airline is a UK or EU carrier.

Source: Eurocontrol Performance Review Unit, airport arrival ATFM delay by cause, daily. See also your rights and the compensation calculator.