20 Reasons Why Every Single Flight Is Always Delayed

1. The changes in the weather!

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Changes in the weather can't be helped, and if we think about all the kinds of extreme weather going on at some point, somewhere in the world - is it any wonder we experience daily flight delays? Whether it's storms, or extreme wind, snow, and ice...the flight may have to wait until it's safe to do so. And, today when global warming is causing more extreme weather than ever it is certain that flight delays will be coming more and more common as airplanes cannot safely fly in the worst kind of weather.

2. Lack of visibility

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This is another thing that cannot be controlled by the airline that can affect planes all of the time. If there's mist or fog or even too much heat then the visibility can be poor. And while a delay may feel super annoying, none of us want to be on a plane where the driver cannot even see outside. It's not safe, and landing would be impossible. So lack of visibility is one of many things that flights have to contend with. And, the airline isn't usually considered liable in terms of refunds, as poor visibility isn't controllable.

3. There's too much air traffic

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The skies are big, but when you consider the act that an airplane is setting off into the skies every THREE seconds we are more able to comprehend just how many airplanes are in the skies at any one time. It's a crazy figure, and now we can realize why we may also be delayed for this reason. Sometimes the skies are just too busy. Particularly if you're at one of the busiest airports. They are sending out so many planes that it may be inevitable that you have to wait for some free space in the sky.

4. Mechanical mishaps are common

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So when we say mechanical mishaps are common, we don't mean that engines are continually breaking or anything like that. But if you think about any smaller contraption you own whether it's a bike or a car, small things may have to be changed frequently and upkeep even on these smaller machines is continuous. So airplanes and the huge and complex devices that they are, do require continuous repairs and mechanical upkeep which can unfortunately cause delays when they were not foreseen. And often, it's very hard to foresee these things!

5. The crew are sometimes late

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In any job, when you're going to work you are sometimes going to be late. Life happens and things may come up or prevent you from making it to work on time that are completely outside of your control. For example, you may hit the worst line of unexpected traffic which makes it impossible to arrive on time. So things happen for the airline crew just as with anyone else in any other job that makes them late. And the crew are necessary for the flight, so if they are late so is the flight.

6. Airport strikes happen frequently

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Particularly now, airstrikes are happening all the time. With people using their right to strike for fairer conditions or pay, it, of course, interrupts the flight times. There will be delays caused as the workers with the airports/ flight attendants etc may be on strike and so the airports and flights cannot function as normally meaning that everything is delayed. And, even if delays are happening in one country, it can affect flights all over because of the airplanes which are going to this particular country are late, the rest may be too.

7. The airplanes need to be refueled

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Airplanes have to be refueled otherwise there will not be enough fuel for the flight. And, although this of course is scheduled in and considered when flight times are given, sometimes things do not go as smoothly as expected. Even during this process, anything can cause a delay. For example, what if the fuel arrives late, what if fueling takes longer because more is needed was initially thought? There's a full chain of events that leads to the fuel refill, at any point tiny delays could cause bigger delays down the line.

8. Sometimes cleaning takes longer than expected

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If you've ever flown budget airlines you may notice that the plane is already quite dirty when you get on board. But that doesn't mean they haven't cleaned, there may have been urgent things that needed cleaning. And, if you aren't flying with a budget airline they will clean the entire aircraft. Sometimes this happens quite quickly with rubbish removal and a quick hoover. But, sometimes, there are things such as sick or spillages that take longer to remove before the passengers can enter onto the aircraft!

9. Baggage loading can be time-consuming

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There are so many processes that happened before an aircraft takes flight, it's a complex series of events to make it happen. One of these stages, of course, is baggage loading. This is usually quite simple and quick. But other times inevitably there may be problems with some of the luggage or some of the baggage may not be located. In this case, the flight will be delayed as the baggage is located and it is put into the hold. It's just one small part of the process which can lead to regular delays!

10. Security queues can take longer to protect passengers

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A flight can't leave without its passengers. Of course, if individuals are late for the flight the aircraft will take off without this passenger and they have missed the flight due to their own reasons. But, when it is the majority of the passengers that are held up because of delays within the airport itself, then the flight will of course wait. Sometimes security queues are huge and there is a backup, and this is purely to protect the passengers and crew. Security cannot be rushed or everyone would be put at risk.

11. Sometimes people cause disruptions

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If you're a frequent flyer you may have witnessed firsthand how individuals waiting to board your plane can cause so many disruptions that the entire flight is delayed. When passengers cause disruptions it doesn't just affect their flight it affects everybody. And this can sometimes happen if a passenger is being aggressive, they are too drunk, or they are just generally being disruptive. In some cases, police or security have to be called and of course, the flight is delayed as a result.

12. Inspections of the aircraft have to be thorough

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After every flight, the aircraft has to be thoroughly inspected to make sure that it is safe to fly again. This is because during the flight things could happen which mean it isn't suitable or it has to be repaired or cleaned. For example, sometimes in flight the plane may hit birds or there may be some kind of malfunction with the electronics. It could be anything. But these inspections are in place to keep everything and everyone safe. So they cannot be rushed, otherwise, vital steps would be missed.

13. The catering may get held up

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Most people love to have an inflight smack, drink, or even a meal. The airplane is not allowed to fly if they do not have provisions for its passengers. It would not legally be allowed if it couldn't give food or water. Yes, they may run out of your flavor of Pringles and this would not be a concern, but if they do not have enough food or drink for their passengers then this means the fight has to be delayed. Catering has to come to refill the food, and if they are late this can also cause delays.

14. Queues at border control

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Border control is another step that passengers have to do before they can board a flight. Border control will check that everything is okay before a passenger is allowed through to the gate and onto the plane. But, sometimes for various reasons, these lines are huge or delayed. There may be a shortage of staff, or the checks may have to be more thorough, or someone may hold up the line if they have a problem crossing the border. All of these things can cause delays to your flight, as the flight can't take off without any passengers!

15. Problems with the runway

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The runway is absolutely essential to the flight process. If the runway is not clear, the flight cannot land, If there is a problem with the runway the plane cannot land. Unexpected things can happen all the time which could mean that there is a delay. For example, if the lights on the runway were not working properly it would not be safe for the pilot to land the plane. If there was something on the runway, or a part of the runway had some kind of break or disturbance then the plane could not land.

16. Air Traffic Control data may take more time to process

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Air traffic control is one of the most important jobs and processes of the entire flight process. Without air traffic control there is no way that a plane could fly safely in the skies. This information is absolutely vital for everybody's safety as it ensures that a flight path is clear and that two planes will not come in contact with one another. And so it has been considered to be one of the most stressful jobs ever. But sometimes these processes take linger as data may come through slower than expected which of course causes delays as this is crucial to flying safely in the skies;

17. The knock-on effect

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Usually, delays are due to the knock-on effect. For example, an airplane flies to the USA and picks up a few minutes of delay due to various reasons. Then, it flies to Spain where it picks up another few delays. After a full day of aircraft flying all over to all kinds of places, it is natural that in each place maybe a couple of minutes delay is experienced. All of these accumulate and suddenly you're facing a two-hour delay...just because of the knock-on effect! And this is a super common reason why your flight is always delayed.

18. Someone on the wrong flight!

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This isn't Home Alone, and you've probably wondered when watching the movie whether this kind of thing actually happens in real life. Well, we can clarify that it really does and it has happened on multiple occasions. Not often, but it definitely does happen from time to time. In fact, you'll probably notice that now when you're on a plane they will ask you to make sure that you're actually on the right flight. And if/when it is discovered that someone isn't. it of course causes a delay while this person is taken off the aircraft.

19. Animals on the runway

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Here are some real-life examples of when animals were discovered on the runway. Yes, there really was a seal found in the middle of the runway in Alaska in 2017. These animals cannot just be asked to move or physically removed by airport staff. Specialists have to come and safely remove them so that they can be relocated to their real homes with as little harm or distress as possible. Nobody foresees a turtle on the runway, so yes this does cause big delays. Thankfully this incredible phenomenon doesn't happen often.

20. The use of unauthorized drones

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Drones are a controversial mechanism. They have many uses and can be super effective yet they can also be a nuisance. Some people do not listen to any laws or restrictions regarding flying drones, and they choose to fly them in places even though it will cause huge disruptions. Recently, there was an incident where drones were flying close to the runway. The incident was investigated and the flight was delayed by a very long period of time until the issue was resolved and it was sure that it was safe to fly.

21. Staff shortages or sickness

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As in any field of work, sometimes there are those times when viruses and sickness strike, and many staff are off all at the same time. This cannot be helped, but it means that replacement staff needs to be found as quickly as possible. Yet if the staff rang in sick that very morning because they did not know, then it is very short notice to get replacement staff in. So, this all takes time and a plane cannot run or function without its crew. Inevitably this causes a delay until they can get people to step in to help.

22. Problems with airport infrastructure

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Airports are HUGE and there's so much that goes on inside them. The airport has to run smoothly for the flight not to be delayed. It's not just about the crew or the aircraft it's about the entire airport. And sometimes the infrastructure fails or isn't there and it causes delays. For example, perhaps one of the bridges that connect to the airplane isn't available, or the steps that are attached to the aircraft are all in use. This means that passengers cannot get on the plane and they have to wait until the next piece of equipment is available which causes a delay.

23. Issues with the weight of the aircraft

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Usually, the weight of the aircraft is something that is accounted for as everyone pays for their set amount of baggage which is weighed so that it doesn't exceed a certain limit. Yet sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances or miscalculations or people bringing extra luggage, the aircraft is too heavy and the baggage has to be unloaded and checked and loaded again. Processes such as these take time and cause delays. There is also sometimes an issue with baggage space and bags have to be taken and put into the hold as they cannot fit in the aircraft.

24. Misplaced luggage

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Misplaced luggage does happen, although not so often. But if you're someone who has had their luggage lost you'll know how true...and how annoying and inconvenient this truly is. But sometimes things happen and some of the luggage is misplaced. This can cause a stir within airports as all baggage has to be located others there are safety threats which then have to be done again to make sure there are no risks. So another possible reason your flights are always delayed is because the baggage has been misplaced.

25. Slot restrictions can cause delays

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Each flight has its slot restriction. This is a short period of time in which the airplane has to take off, to ensure that each plane will be taking off alone to cause any risk of collision or blocking each other's path. So, when you have a slot restriction you have a few minutes to make it. If this is missed, you cannot just set off when the passengers and pilot are next ready. They then have to be given another slot by air traffic control and it could take some time for this to happen so it can cause a delay.

26. Late passengers

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If you're a passenger sitting on the airplane with somewhere to go, and you're on a time limit or you just can't wait to be on vacation you're sitting there secretly cursing the late passengers who are making you late. If you ARE the late passenger you're running through the airport hoping that they'll just wait that bit longer for you so that you don't completely miss your vacation entirely. Either way, you'll either be facing a delay or causing a delay. And this happens regularly. Sometimes passengers are late and it holds up EVERYTHING.

27. VIP travelers

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Sometimes there are VIP's in the building. Airports have extra security to guide the famous person or the celebrity through safely which in itself can sometimes cause delays. It can also cause delays as people stop to try and get a glimpse and when people slow down, lines in the airport get longer and slower. Then, the person has to be escorted onto the plane and all of these things take a lot longer than usual so it can cause a delay. But, if you end up next to your favourite celebrity you probably won't be complaining.

28. Limited gate availability

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There are way more flights happening than there are available gates. So the number of gates is actually limited, even if it looks like there's an abundance of them in the airport. There has to be a gate to be able to get passengers boarded, But sometimes there just aren't enough gates available at that moment in time. Especially if some of the flights before your flight is delayed, then they are all needing to use the same gates. So sometimes we may be delayed because there's simply no gate for us to be able to board the airplane!

29. Problems with airline communications

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Technical difficulties happen all of the time, all over the globe, no matter what industry or job you work in. We rely s heavily on technology now that if one thing is down or not working the whole system is messed up. And it's the same in airports. Airline communications and communications between the entire airport are so important. If just one line of communication is affected or not working, there will inevitably be delays. So when you experience yet another delay, it could be for this (or a multitude of other) reason/s.

30. Lack of accessibility for passengers with mobility issues

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In a modern world, we should not be experiencing delays because there is a lack of accessibility for passengers with mobility issues. Everywhere should be accessible. And modern airports may be much more accessible, but n older airports the facilities may be inadequate. There will be necessary equipment such as ramps, wheelchairs, or elevators. And, sometimes there is a line to use these. Sometimes there are delays because the elevator or the ramp is in use, and there is only a set amount in the airport so there is a delay to wait for the next opportunity.