This article uses the bootstrapped Malmquist index methodology to measure and test the extent of efficiency and productivity changes in the UK airline sector. The aim of the bootstrap method is to overcome the statistical limitations of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), generally used to derive the distance functions of the Malmquist index. The bootstrap method, on the other hand, addresses all these limitations. In applying the method we use input/output data on a sample of major UK airlines. The period selected for the analysis (2004-2007) is in line with the contribution of this study and aims to provide an update picture on the efficiency of UK airlines. Results showed that most UK airlines have witnessed significant decrease in productivity, efficiency, scale and technology measures. Using a second stage Tobit regression this article attributed the sources of productivity and efficiency changes to factors such as stage length, load factor and airline size. This article also discussed the negative impacts of oil price using illustrations from the UK and other international airlines.