Why your flight is delayed (again) – and how to stay one step ahead
There's nothing quite like arriving at the airport, ready to board your flight - only to see that dreaded word flash on the screen: "delayed".
You check your phone anxiously. No updates yet. The waiting game begins as you calculate the time you have left before missing that all-important connection. Will you make your afternoon meeting? And what about your hotel booking? If this turns into an overnight scenario, will you even find availability for the next flight?
For business travellers, delays aren’t just annoying; they can completely derail the most meticulously planned business travel itinerary. The good news is that there are absolutely ways to manage these disruptions before your entire trip goes off the rails. With smart planning and expertise from a Travel Management Company (TMC), you can avoid last-minute pandemonium when delays inevitably strike.
Here are five of the most common culprits behind flight delays, why they snowball into bigger headaches once you've landed, and what you - or your TMC - can do to stay one step ahead.
1. Weather and air traffic control – the uncontrollable duo
Think the clear skies above your departing airport mean smooth sailing? Think again. Weather issues anywhere can disrupt aircraft arrivals and create bottlenecks at those busy hubs. Vicious winds make landings a daredevil's game. Thunderstorms force planes into endless holding patterns. Try taking off through pea soup fog - not happening. And good luck leaving the gate during a snowstorm until every inch of that aircraft is painstakingly de-iced.
Then there's air traffic congestion - a.k.a rush hour madness in the skies itself. When too many planes are jockeying for take-off and landing clearances simultaneously, air traffic control is forced to ration those coveted slots. Inevitably, some departures get shoved aside.
Fortunately, your TMC can:
- Monitor weather patterns to arrange alternate routings before delays escalate
- Plan business travel itineraries strategically avoiding congestion-prone airports
- Secure priority rebooking if delays impact your onward travel
"With so many flights at capacity these days, getting you on an alternative once delays happen is the tricky part," says Rategang Moroke, Operations Manager at Corporate Traveller. "It's all about acting fast before seats disappear."
2. Late arriving aircraft and knock-on delays
Airlines have few backup planes available. So when one aircraft is delayed on an earlier route due to maintenance issues or weather disruptions, every subsequent flight using that plane gets affected, too. Those delays then trigger their own knock-on effects later in the day.
The biggest nightmare from these cascading delays? Overbookings galore. Airlines ruthlessly shuffle stranded passengers from disrupted earlier flights onto your flight, filling up limited seats. If your assigned plane is delayed from its previous departure point, those displaced get prioritised over your scheduled itinerary. Find yourself last in line without a confirmed seat assignment? You're the one at risk of getting bumped.
Fortunately, your TMC can:
- Lock in seating confirmations well ahead of time (that means you need to pre-book flight seats)
- Monitor inventory before airline staff start reassigning seats
- Secure confirmed backup options rather than waiting and hoping
“We always recommend clients pre-book any available seat selections upfront," advises Moroke. "Even paying a fee beats getting stuck in the dreaded middle seat scramble during delays."
3. Airline operations – mechanical issues to staffing shortages
Airline operations are one of the biggest causes of flight delays. Fuel shortages, like those recently flagged by ACSA and AASA at OR Tambo International Airport (JNB), force airlines to push back or cancel flights while securing supply. Mechanical issues ground planes until inspections or repairs are completed, often leading to last-minute aircraft swaps that disrupt schedules.
Crew shortages add further delays when pilots or cabin crew aren’t available, forcing departures to be held until replacements can be found. These setbacks create a domino effect across multiple flights, leading to missed connections, overbooked planes, and travellers left scrambling for alternatives.
Fortunately, your well-planned TMC itinerary can allow for:
- Proactive updates on developing operational issues before they disrupt your trip
- Faster access to alternative routings outside standard customer service channels
- Guidance on which reliable carriers have a better historical on-time performance
4. Security and documentation headaches
Long airport lines are frustrating - but incorrect travel documents like expired visas or passports can bring your journey to a standstill before it's even begun. Even seasoned business travellers get caught out by changing entry requirements across destinations.
Fortunately, your TMC ensures:
- Pre-travel checks identify potential documentation issues upfront
"Our job is ensuring clients are prepped with proper paperwork before they panic at the gate," Moroke explains. "A single expired passport means missing that career-making meeting - and nobody wants that avoidable headache."
5. Disruptive passengers and baggage snafus
Unruly behaviour onboard forces unscheduled landings and intervention by authorities. Processes like boarding and offloading hold-ups due to disorganisation or problematic bags needing offloading for weight/balance checks lead to knock-on departure delays.
A managed travel itinerary minimises these risks by:
- Automating alerts to hotels/car rentals when delays occur
- Negotiating better rebooking flexibility through preferred supplier relationships
- Providing insurance advice for expense reimbursements due to missed connections
Why working with a TMC travel pro matters more than ever
Flight disruptions are inevitable - but being stranded without recourse doesn't have to be. Having expert contingency strategies prepped and ready provides confidence for travellers encountering hiccups worldwide.
“We monitor everything happening around our clients' itineraries day-to-day, then tailor their plans for business trips accordingly," says Moroke.
The only thing worse than a delay? Having no backup when flights go sideways. A strategic travel partner like Corporate Traveller ensures you're covered no matter what turbulence comes your way.