Why are flights delayed?
Waiting at the gate and seeing “delayed” on the screen is stressful. The reason behind most delays is quite ordinary.
The most common reasons
- The inbound aircraft was late: if the plane's previous flight was delayed, the delay carries through the day. This is the most common reason.
- Air traffic: in busy airspace aircraft get a time slot for departure; you wait for it at the gate or on the taxiway.
- Weather: fog, snow or strong wind at the departure or arrival airport means aircraft take off and land with more spacing.
- Technical check: something the pilots or technicians noticed being checked before departure.
- Passengers and bags: things like offloading the bag of a passenger who didn't board.
Seeing a delay coming
When you open your flight in SafeSkies, it shows where your aircraft is right now and when it will arrive from its previous flight. If the inbound aircraft is running late, you can see it before you leave for the airport.
Coping with a delay
A delay stretches the wait and can grow the anxiety. Drink water, walk a little, eat something; use the time for a breathing exercise or a short lesson. A delay says nothing about the flight itself.
