It happens quite often: you are in a rush to the airport to catch your flight only to find out that yours got delayed. Sometimes you only have to wait an hour, but this could also drag on for half a day or more. You are forced to stay longer than you would’ve liked at the airport while tired, sleepy, and hungry. You might want to stay in a nearby hotel instead but you don’t have money left for that. In certain cases, the airline might be liable for the delay so they should compensate travelers for the inconvenience. Below are the common causes of air traffic delays:
Weather Conditions
Adverse weather conditions can happen anywhere at any time. In colder regions, heavy snow is often the culprit. This can lower visibility and make it hard for planes to land on the runway. Hurricanes and typhoons can also force planes to cancel their scheduled flights as the wind might be too strong. Strong rain can cause floods that affect airports. If you are traveling during the rainy season, then expect this to happen frequently. Other natural phenomena that could affect flights include severe ash fall from volcanic eruptions, tornadoes, and forest fire.
Technical Problems
Planes can run into technical problems from time to time. Every carrier is required to undertake regular maintenance of their fleet but issues can still develop despite the best precautions. The plane will not be permitted to fly if the risk is too great. Delays are, after all, better than tragic crashes. Instead, the company must find other planes that can be used to carry the passengers to their destinations. Since this should have been preventable, it is more likely for the passengers to get some form of compensation for their troubles.
Crew Rest Requirements
The pilot and the rest of the crew are mandated to have a certain period of rest between flights. They also have a maximum number of hours of work per day. Although these are carefully planned ahead to optimize the schedule, delays, absences, and other issues can mess with the plans. If there are manpower problems, then the plane may be grounded until the carrier finds a way to solve it. This is another chance to collect compensation for the delay, although the company may not always admit to it. Passengers often have to demand for their rights to be respected when airlines evade their duties.
Passenger Delay
The passengers themselves could cause a problem in a number of ways. For example, someone who has already checked in his baggage but fails to get on the plane before take off will have to be found. If the search is unsuccessful, then the baggage must be unloaded before the place can finally take off. This wastes precious minutes for everyone. Arguments can break out between the cabin crew and the passengers, or between the passengers themselves over the most trivial things. The crew is trained at de-escalating these situations but they can drag air traffic delays.
