Airlines reveal the eye-opening reality behind most flight delays

"We'll make up the time in the air," the gate agent tells waiting passengers when a flight is delayed. Behind the scenes, the pilots give each other knowing looks, knowing short delays from weather constraints, repairs, or a crowded airport rarely get made up once the plane takes off, especially on short flights.

Still, telling this little white lie is expected in the airline industry. It helps keep passengers calm. "While we might make up some time on long flights, we usually only gain back 5-10 minutes on a typical delayed short flight," admits Nick Anderson, a pilot with 15 years of international flying experience. Promising to make up time makes passengers feel just a bit better about bothersome delays.

The actual opportunities for mid-air make-up time boil down to basic flight physics and logistical factors largely outside cockpit control. Severe slowdowns might open a window, but pilots carefully calculate fuel, costs, and safety before revving up speeds. Savvy flyers should instead focus efforts on booking early flights and allowing adequate connections to avoid falling victim to delay domino effects.

Anderson explains flights operate within a "very narrow optimum speed bracket" to balance velocity against fuel consumption and emissions. "It's not just a cost to the company but also the environment," he emphasizes. Airlines select cruise sweet spots that harmonize economic performance with a reasonable scheduled duration.

Consequently, pilots typically fly full throttle within these margins. Soaring too fast risks squandering pricey jet fuel and releasing excessive pollution. Anderson notes each aircraft model has a differing optimum range, but even newer generation jets travel only modestly swifter than their predecessors. He estimates shaving the average one-hour flight by at least a minute or two.

Of course, exceptions exist during major disruptions like storms or system meltdowns. Wide latitude gets granted if pressing circumstances like tight passenger connections arise. But Anderson says, for routine delays, expect to absorb the full brunt rather than erasing lost time skyward.

Seasoned frequent flyers swear by the adage "the early bird gets airborne" to minimize delays. Retired commercial pilot Kathleen Bangs urges travelers to "schedule flights at the start of the day when possible." She notes "The later it gets, the more likely your flight gets delayed or canceled."

As delays accumulate, planes and crew often finish late. Tight turnarounds leave ground personnel scrambling between landing and preparing for departure again. Stranded bags and catering trucks further clog taxiways. Before long, a single hiccup cascades into system snarls.

Seeking shortcuts mid-air rarely resolves what is frequently a domino effect. Instead, Bangs tells passengers to "build plenty of connections and depart early" as a buffer. Boeing 787 captain Charlie Page agrees, having observed peak disruption rates climbing through late mornings and afternoons. Front-loading drastically cuts exposure.

Surging seasonal demand inevitably strains capacity. "Summer holidays bring more flights and with their problems," says Page. Airports and aircraft stay busier, hauling vacationers. Thunderstorms or congested airspace readily overload reduced margins for error.

Maintenance issues also tick upward, operating stretched jet fleets continuously through peak months. Expectations for aircraft availability push from an impressive 99% territory towards the unrealistic territory. With planes constantly rotating to fulfill ambitious schedules, critical inspections and repairs inevitably lag.

Yet passenger mindsets flocking to leisure destinations differ from business travelers accustomed to routine hassle. Recreational flyers get more frustrated, aluminum tubes delivering fantasy fulfillment yet seemingly conspiring to delay gratification.

Airport teams understand downplaying the likelihood of primary make-up time avoids heightening disappointment later. An apologetic pilot passing the gate projecting confidence carries symbolic weight whether the payload delivers.

Of course, sufficient desperation occasionally warrants firing up engines to full throttle or requesting direct routing shortcuts. "The primary times I will fly faster is to make a passenger connection or avoid a diversion," Anderson says of his calculus. Diverting to an alternate airport represents a last resort outcome after exhausting all other options.

Speed varies inversely with fuel efficiency, so economic considerations prohibit casually flying faster without cause. Carefully monitoring consumption enables estimating time savings relative to extra costs. Delta once quantified each five-minute reduction flying transcontinental to JFK, burning over 300 additional gallons of jet fuel. Over a year, those minutes add up to millions in incremental costs and carbon.

So, generally, pilots must treat affidavits about making up time judiciously rather than routine guarantees to customers. Gate agents employing them reflexively walk a fine line given extreme steps later needed to make words a reality. Savvy travelers, therefore, heed lessons from past travails, leaving wiggle room and tempering expectations rather than awaiting airborne miracles as a rescue from poor planning.