The World's Most-Delayed Airports

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM)

Worst arrival rank: 1

Percentage of on-time arrivals: 49.95%

For the second year in a row, Mumbai's international airport--India's busiest--tops our list as the world's most-delayed airport in terms of arrivals. About 58% of its late arrivals in 2008 were delayed by 30 minutes or more, according to FlightStats sampling of the airport's flights. In November, the airport opened a new taxiway to reduce the wait time for landing aircraft.

Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)

Worst arrival rank: 2

Percentage of on-time arrivals: 50.89%

Serving New Delhi, India's capital, Indira Gandhi International saw 23.3 million passengers in 2007. A sampling of the airport's flights shows that nearly 60% of its delayed flights were late by more than 30 minutes. In October, a third runway--one of the longest in Asia--became fully operational. The airport also plans a new terminal complex to be finished by the end of March 2010.

Mohammed V International Airport (CMN)

Worst arrival rank: 3

Percentage of on-time arrivals: 53.83%

Casablanca's airport is one of the smallest on our list, serving 5.9 million passengers in 2007. But the airport, run by the Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA), gets a low grade for on-time arrivals. More than 60% of its flights sampled by FlightStats in 2008 were at least 30 minutes late. Departures weren't much better: 64% left on time.

Bengaluru International Airport (BLR)

Worst arrival rank: 4

Percentage of on-time arrivals: 60.16%

Give Bengaluru International some time to adjust to growing pains: The sleek new airport serving India's high-tech capital opened in May. In 2007, the city's old airport, which no longer serves commercial traffic, served 9.9 million passengers--an astonishing 34% increased over the prior year. About 80% of its flights departed on time in 2008, an airport official says.

Orio al Serio International Airport (BGY)

Worst arrival rank: 5

Percentage of on-time arrivals: 60.55%

Orio al Serio is the smallest of the airports we examined--just 5.7 million passengers passed through in 2007. It serves budget carriers to Bergamo, near the foothills of the Italian Alps, and nearby Milan. In 2008, 55% of delayed arrivals sampled by FlightStats were less than 30 minutes late. However, only 60% of its flights departed on time as well.

Beijing Capital International (PEK)

Worst departure rank: 1

Percentage of on-time departures: 47.86%

Beijing's airport is among the world's busiest--nearly 54 million passengers in 2007--and it undoubtedly saw a massive increase in 2008, as the city hosted the Olympics. However, once again it holds a high spot on our list of worst departures. Of Beijing's late departures, 45% were delayed by 30 minutes or more, according to a sampling of the airport's flights.

Manchester Airport (MAN)

Worst departure rank: 2

Percentage of on-time departures: 49.11%

Northern England's main airport saw more than 22 million passengers pass through in 2007, and it has more direct flights to global destinations than any other airport in the U.K. Unfortunately, it might take some extra time to reach those places. About 48% of its delayed departures were late by at least 30 minutes, according to a sampling of flights.

Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)

Worst departure rank: 3

Percentage of on-time departures: 53.59%

The Lagoon City is known for its romantic waterways, not airport efficiency. Still, it served 7 million passengers in 2007. About half of its late flights in 2008 were late by at least 30 minutes, according to FlightStats' sampling of flight information. One unique feature of Venice's airport: You can get there by boat.

Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE)

Worst departure rank: 4

Percentage of on-time departures: 56.31%

It's always good to linger awhile on the French Riviera--though an airport terminal is probably not the best place to do it. More than 40% of the airport's departures were delayed in 2008, according to FlightStats' sampling of flights. The airport is the third busiest in France, serving 10.4 million passengers in 2007.

Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino (FCO)

Worst departure rank: 5

Percentage of on-time departures: 57.83%

It can take 30 minutes or more to reach Rome's main airport from the city center. There's a good chance you might wait just as long for your flight to leave after its scheduled departure. About half of Fiumicino's late departures in 2008 were delayed by half an hour or more, according to FlightStats' sampling of the airport's flights.