Why Are So Many Flights Delayed Today?

Delayed flights can be more than just an inconvenience – they can disrupt your entire schedule. If you’ve experienced a flight delay, you might be entitled to compensation under EU law.

Air travel, often hailed as a pinnacle of modern efficiency, faces its fair share of obstacles, with flight delays ranking high among the most vexing issues for passengers. A deep dive into the underlying reasons for these delays is not just informative for travelers but is crucial for airlines and regulatory authorities as well.

Shedding light on this confusing aspect of air travel, it becomes critical to understand the five main categories that airlines use to classify flight delays.

1. Air Carrier Delay: This occurs when the delay is within the airline’s control. It could be due to maintenance issues, crew scheduling, or other operational factors.
2. Security: Delays due to security are less predictable. They can vary from urgent situations necessitating the evacuation of an aircraft or even the entire airport, to more routine security checks that can still cause significant hold-ups.
3. Extreme Weather: The whims of nature play an outsized role in air travel. From blizzards to thunderstorms, dense fog to gusty winds, the elements can wreak havoc on the best-laid flight schedules.
4. Late-Arriving Traffic: The aviation world is tightly interconnected; hence, the delay of one flight due to its late arrival can set off a chain reaction, pushing back subsequent flights scheduled on the same aircraft.
5. National Aviation System (NAS): The NAS encompasses elements like air traffic, traffic control, and airport operations. Heavy air traffic or issues in these areas can sometimes lead to delays.

What’s particularly striking is the data from the BTS (Bureau of Transportation Statistics), which upends a common assumption. Contrary to the belief that bad weather is the primary culprit for flight delays, it’s actually the airlines themselves that are more often to blame.

Conversely, poor weather conditions contribute to the fewest delays. This revelation redirects the conversation from natural, uncontrollable events to aspects where airlines and regulatory agencies have room to exert influence and enhance operational efficiency.

Non-Weather Related Delays

In the complex world of air travel, flight delays often come shrouded in vague terms like “operational reasons” or “technical issues.” Let’s unpack some of the non-weather related causes that often lead to these frustrating hold-ups.

Air Traffic Control (ATC)

With an average of 8 million passengers flying daily, amounting to over 3 billion annually, air traffic control becomes a Herculean task, particularly in bustling hubs like New York, London, and Paris.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO) oversees immense airspace in the United States, managing the safe transit of over 45,000 daily flights. Given these staggering numbers, delays are almost an inevitable part of the journey, especially for longer flights which are subject to more stringent regulations.

Airport infrastructure also plays a crucial role. Not all regions boast the advanced technology found in the US and Europe. In less affluent parts of the world, outdated equipment can slow down the process of safe landings and takeoffs, creating a domino effect of delays or cancellations.

Technical Problems

This is a common yet significant reason for delays. As much as passengers might bristle at the mention of “technical issues,” these precautions are critical for safety. Airlines, prioritizing the aircraft’s condition, often take extra time for checks – a necessary step in an industry where the stakes are incredibly high.

This is true even for organizations like NASA, which routinely encounter technical challenges. While airlines are responsible for efficient maintenance, these technical hitches demand thorough attention and adherence to strict safety protocols.

Interestingly, Southwest Airlines once categorized mechanical errors as an ‘Act of God’ in their contract of carriage, to avoid related liabilities. However, facing public scrutiny, they clarified that this referred to issues like air traffic control problems, which are beyond their control.

Resting the Flight Crew

Ensuring that the flight crew is well-rested is another critical factor in aviation safety. Sometimes, crew shortages or back-to-back flights necessitate extended rest periods to prevent fatigue, leading to delays. In aviation, where the margin for error is minimal, this aspect is non-negotiable.

Delays Caused by Passengers

Yes, the repeated airport announcements calling for a passenger, much to everyone’s annoyance, are part of this narrative. Whether it’s locating a passenger whose luggage is already on board or dealing with medical emergencies, these incidents can cause significant delays.

The airport staff, adhering to protocol, must manage these situations, often leading to a delay in departure.

Understanding these reasons helps demystify some of the frustrating aspects of air travel, highlighting the intricate balance between efficiency, safety, and the unpredictable nature of human and technical factors.

Weather-Related Delays

While snowy winters are commonly blamed for weather-related flight delays, the truth is that summer often sees more disruptions. This may come as a surprise, but several factors specific to the warmer months contribute to this trend.

Summer Flight Delays

There are more Google searches for “Why is my flight delayed?” in Summer than in any other season.

Here’s why:

1. Hot air makes lift-off difficult: Hot air is less dense, which can make achieving lift more challenging for planes. This means aircraft require more runway space to reach the necessary speed for takeoff, leading to potential delays as runways are adjusted.
2. Rain and Thunderstorms: June and July, notorious for rain and thunderstorms, or ‘convective weather,’ can prolong flight times. Pilots often navigate around these turbulent areas, which are higher during summer, thus extending the duration of the flight.
3. Increased Travel During Holidays: Summer naturally sees a surge in air travel. More passengers translate to longer boarding times, increased luggage handling, and ultimately, delayed takeoffs.

Winter Flight Delays

Winter weather conjures images of hail, snow, and fog, all contributing to flight delays, albeit less frequently than in summer.

1. Airline Snow Issues: Runways contaminated with water, snow, ice, or slush pose significant risks. These contaminants must be cleared for safe landings and takeoffs, leading to delays.
2. High Winds and Visibility Problems: High winds, especially crosswinds during takeoffs and landings, can be hazardous. Winds over 30 knots can lead to cancellations or delays, and phenomena like the ‘bomb cyclone’ can cause severe turbulence.
3. Aircraft Icing: Ice accumulation on aircraft, particularly smaller ones, can lead to mechanical issues and necessitate delays for deicing.

Monsoon Flight Delays

In tropical regions like India and Southeast Asia, the monsoon season brings its own set of challenges.

1. Severe Weather Conditions: Heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and high winds during monsoons reduce flight capacity and make flying hazardous.
2. Infrastructure Limitations: Many airports in these regions struggle with poor drainage and flooding, disrupting safe landings and takeoffs.
3. Air Traffic Control Adjustments: To ensure safety, air traffic control often has to increase the distance between aircraft, leading to longer wait times and delays.
4. Reduced Visibility and Light Aircraft Vulnerability: Low visibility and fog are common, delaying flights further. Smaller aircraft used in these regions are also less tolerant of wind shear and turbulence.
5. Lightning Strikes: A significant concern during monsoons, lightning can halt takeoffs and landings, adding to the delay.
6. Cascading Delays: Even after the weather clears, the backlog of flights and displaced aircraft and crew can prolong delays.

Improving infrastructure, such as enhancing drainage and runway conditions, as well as upgrading air traffic control systems, could mitigate the impact of monsoon-related delays. Understanding these varied and complex causes of weather-related flight delays underscores the intricate balance of factors affecting air travel.

What should you do when your flight is delayed?

When facing the inconvenience of a flight delay, many air travelers are not fully aware of their rights and the recourse available to them. Understanding these rights can make a significant difference in how you navigate these disruptions.

Your Rights On Flight Delays

In the realm of air travel, the rights of passengers vary significantly between regions. European air passengers, for instance, have more comprehensive protections compared to their U.S. counterparts.

EU vs. U.S. Passenger Rights

In the European Union: If a flight is delayed for over three hours, passengers are entitled to compensation for 3+ hours of delays. This policy is standard across the EU and offers a clear recourse for delayed travelers.

In the United States: In the United States: The situation is less clear-cut. While you cannot typically claim compensation for delays, in cases of an unusually long delay, it’s worth requesting amenities from the airline, such as complimentary meals or hotel accommodations for overnight delays. However, be aware that U.S. airlines are not legally obligated to provide these amenities.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) does require airlines to update passengers on the status of a delay within 30 minutes of becoming aware of it.

Refunds: A Grey Area in the U.S.

When a flight in the U.S. is significantly delayed, you may be eligible for a refund. This includes fees paid for baggage and seat upgrades. The definition of a ‘significant delay’ is not specified by the DOT; they evaluate eligibility for a full refund on a case-by-case basis, considering the delay’s duration and the passenger’s circumstances.

European Privileges for U.S. Passengers on International Flights

U.S. passengers can claim compensation under certain conditions for international flights:

1. The flight must be delayed for over three hours.
2. The flight must depart from an EU airport or involve an EU-regulated airline flying to an EU airport.
3. The delay should not be due to factors beyond the airline’s control.

For instance, if your New York to Paris flight with Lufthansa (or any EU-regulated airline) is delayed for more than three hours due to the airline’s fault, you may be eligible for up to 600€ in compensation, mirroring the rights of European passengers.

Claiming Your Compensation

To claim compensation, you can contact the airline’s customer service, the travel company you booked with, or use a flight delay claim company (which may charge a fee). Before doing so, utilize our Flight Delay Compensation Calculator to estimate the amount you can claim. Enter your flight number and date, and within a few minutes, you’ll know the compensation you’re entitled to.

Conclusion: Stay Informed and Fly Happy

Understanding your rights when it comes to flight delays can significantly improve your travel experience. Knowing what to expect and how to seek compensation or refunds can turn a frustrating delay into a manageable inconvenience.

Further Reading

Interested in learning more? Check out our other articles:

• My Flight Was Delayed, Can I Claim Compensation?
• What Are My Rights if My Flight Is Canceled?
• How Much Can I Claim for Flight Delays?

Stay informed, and happy flying!