You are packed, everything is done, ready to go, the cab is here… you reached the airport. So excited, soon after a couple of hours, you will be enjoying your vacation in an exotic country!
And suddenly, oh nooooo, the flight is delayed or even worse canceled 🙁
Frustrated, right? You are cursing everyone and everything around: the airport, the airline, the flight attendants, the pilots, the people whose flight is not delayed 🙂
And suddenly, oh nooooo, the flight is delayed or even worse canceled 🙁
Frustrated, right? You are cursing everyone and everything around: the airport, the airline, the flight attendants, the pilots, the people whose flight is not delayed 🙂
Ok, but what to do in this case, who is responsible for this awful delay, and why this happens overall? Commercial flights require serious operation procedures, much-coordinated work from a lot of people, and any disturbance of this chain may cause the delay.
Actually, you can’t believe it, but there are pretty good reasons for these delays. So let’s talk about some of them:
- Security: Airports have a lot of security procedures, and it doesn’t begin and end with just passenger check. They should also do the airplane, the runways checks, which sometimes lead to delays.
- Weather conditions: Yes, in most cases, the weather cannot be the reason to delay or cancel the flight, because modern airplanes are designed to sustain unpleasant weather conditions. But when there is a severe weather condition, no airline will put your life at risk by letting the flight to be operated. And remember, maybe it’s perfect weather outside in your current location, but absolutely terrible conditions at your destination. So this means that most probably your flight is going to be delayed.
- Technical Reasons: This is the most frustrating, I guess. Well, the security check is done, the weather in both places is just fine, you are on the plane and ready to fly. Suddenly out of nowhere, the captain speaks and declares some technical troubles and makes apologies that your flight is DELAYED for some time 🙁 Why not earlier? You think! Well, pilots make necessary ground checks before each flight, and if they notice any issue, they report it to be fixed. And sometimes, these issues may arise right seconds before the departure. So that’s why you’re asked to go back to your gate again.
- Flight Preparations: This must be done very carefully, because it may cause real trouble for the flight. The cleaning, the fueling, and all other preparations should be done on time; otherwise, the flight must be delayed.
- The Food: It must be there, by all means, no matter you enjoy it or not. As the food for airplanes is not cooked on boards and is provided by special catering, they can sometimes deliver the food, not on time. No airplane is going to take off with no food onboard.
- Heavy Traffic: How many of you have heard from the captain of at least one flight, “Our flight is delayed because of the heavy traffic”? Oh my Gosh, traffic in the air? Yes, the air traffic is becoming heavier each year, and busy hubs are a real problem, as more and more airplanes are arriving and departing at the same time, which causes traffic jams. It’s almost the same as with car traffic jam. So your plane probably must be waiting in line for a long time to depart.
These were some of the reasons for flight delays, but I want to know how you deal with delays?
Share your experience and remember, no one wants to disrupt your vacation, business trip, traveling on purpose. When your flight starts to be operated again, sit back, relax, and have the right attitude.
Until next time and, as always, “We Speak Aviation.“
