Newcastle International Airport has come top in a survey of flight punctuality at airports across the UK, according to figures released today by the Civil Aviation Authority.

During October to December 2004 the "on-time" performance of scheduled airlines at Newcastle International rose to 84 per cent _ up from 77 per cent for the same period last year.

Of the ten monitored airports, Newcastle achieved the highest level of punctuality, achieving 9 per cent above the national average. Newcastle also bucked the trend for charter flight punctuality.

Despite a decline in punctuality across the board _from 74 per cent in 2004, to 70 per cent in 2005), Newcastle International achieved an 81 per cent punctuality rate for charter flights which, again, represented the highest performance amongst the ten monitored airports.

Newcastle International chief executive John Parkin said: "This is excellent news for the airport and its airline partners.

"It is particularly pleasing to note that, even with a 20 per cent increase in passenger numbers in the last 12 months and a record period of growth, we are continuing to outperform our competitors in respect of the punctuality of our flights.

"In a climate which has seen punctuality performance decline or remain static at airports across the UK, it is testament to the considerable efforts and team-working of colleagues from our airlines, handling agents and the airport itself that we have managed to achieve such significant performance improvements."

Meanwhile, handling agent Swissport UK's Newcastle Airport team won the coveted prize of Best UK Station for On-Time Performance at the Britannia Airways On-Time Awards held in Gloucester.