UK Air Travel Sector Soars Above Average on Payment Practices, But Wide Disparities Remain

The Numbers

• 62 companies analyzed in the UK Air Travel sector.
• Average PaymentCheck Score: 62.6/100.
• UK average PaymentCheck Score: 50.0/100.
• The Air Travel sector average is 12.6 points above the UK average.
• East Midlands has the highest regional average: 76.8/100 (1 company).
• Short Brothers PLC is the lowest scoring company: 24.8/100.

What Stands Out

While the UK Air Travel sector performs demonstrably better than the national average when it comes to payment practices, the considerable gap between the best and worst payers reveals significant inconsistencies within the industry. The limited number of companies in certain regions makes those regional averages less representative than those of London and the South East.

Best Payers

1. MARTIN-BAKER AIRCRAFT COMPANY LIMITED - 97.9/100
2. HARRODS AVIATION LIMITED - 96/100
3. HEATHROW AIRPORT LIMITED - 91.9/100
4. AIRTANKER SERVICES LIMITED - 90.4/100
5. LOCKHEED MARTIN UK LIMITED - 89.17/100

Worst Payers

1. SHORT BROTHERS PLC - 24.8/100
2. THOMPSON AERO SEATING LIMITED - 26.6/100
3. SAFRAN SEATS GB LIMITED - 29/100
4. MEGGITT AEROSPACE LIMITED - 29.1/100
5. METTIS AEROSPACE LIMITED - 30.8/100

Regional Patterns

The East Midlands leads the way with an average score of 76.8, yet this figure is skewed by the fact that only one company in the region was analysed. London and the South East, with 17 companies apiece, show respectable averages of 70.3 and 71.4 respectively, suggesting consistently better payment practices in these key aviation hubs.

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Despite a sector average of 62.6, the bottom 5 payers score less than half that, demonstrating that while the sector can pay promptly, many are not.