Whether you’re a frequent flyer or have flown only a few times, we know how frustrating it can get for you when a flight gets cancelled.
Thousands of flights get cancelled everyday all over the world and the only thing we as passengers can do is sit and wait for the next flight.
Most of the times flights are cancelled for obvious reasons but some times the airline has no explanation and we are left irritated.
To make you aware flyers, here are 10 reasons why airlines can cancel your flight
1.Security Threat
Flights are cancelled rarely because of this reason but it’s a very serious issue and probably you also won’t like to board the flight in such a situation.
Many flights get cancelled if there is a security threat at the airport or to the airline you’re flying from.
When it comes to security, airlines take it very seriously, so even if it’s an alleged threat they will cancel the flights or ground them immediately.
2.Unfavourable Weather
Weather is one the most primary reasons why a flight gets cancelled!
Be it thunderstorms, extremely cold weather, snow storms or even when it’s too hot, your flight will be grounded as airplanes can’t function properly in such weather conditions.
So before you leave for the airport the next time you fly, just check the weather reports of your departure/arrival destinations and then your flight status
3.Software Glitch
The aviation industry is heavily dependent on its IT infrastructure to function smoothly.
Since flight schedules and routes are entirely scheduled based on computer algorithms, a computer or software glitch can lead to bigger problems.
So, a glitch such as a system failure, power outage, cyber-attack, or other IT issues can lead to a cancelled flight.
In such cases, flyers are generally provided with a compensation by the airlines, but it depends entirely on the loss that the passenger may have incurred and the airline itself.
4.Aircraft/Mechanical Issue
A mechanical issue with the aircraft is also another reason for a flight getting cancelled.
Issues such as oil leakages or faulty engines can cause this. For instance, in the recent past, many airlines in India grounded their Airbus A320 neo aircraft due to faulty engines. In fact, airlines such as IndiGo and GoAir cancelled almost 65 flights across India in one day due to this reason.
In such cases, since passengers safety is always a priority, the faulty parts are replaced before the take-off, thus resulting in delays and cancellations.
Airlines generally switch passengers to a new flight or give a refund in such a scenario.
5.Unavailability Of Airline Crew
Airlines like every other organization, fall short of staff members and this happens more often than anticipated.
For instance, when a large number of people call sick and there are no replacements, flights get cancelled.
Also, since the crew operates for specific hours, flight delays eat up their shift hours. By the time they get to the destination, they’ve run out of hours to make the flight back, leaving the airplane with no crew.
In such instances, it’s better to start searching for another flight on which you can travel rather than waiting for the airline. You can even ask the sales desk at the airport for help.
6.Delayed Flights
Sometimes a scheduled flight may end up reaching late to its next destination from another airport. In such cases, flights eventually get delayed or cancelled.
It may be because of a technical error or weather issues.
An airline generally asks passengers to take another flight for cash incentives or shift them onto another flight which is scheduled later in the day.
7. To Avoid Large Cancellations
You may think that airlines want to cancel their flights to save money, but that’s not true.
Most of the flights on a network are generally interconnected.
Therefore, if there are heavy delays at an airport, an airline may choose to cancel flights flying from there, so that the glitch doesn’t cause a widespread delay throughout the day.
8.Lack Of Passengers
Flying an airplane is expensive!
Aside from the fuel and maintenance of the aircraft, there are several fees and other payments that the airline has to make to use an airport.
While there have been cases of airplanes taking off with barely any passengers, flights get cancelled if it’s not economical to make the trip.
Those who were supposed to be on the flight get bumped off to other flights, usually with some form of compensation.
9.Lack Of Airplanes/Overbooking
It’s common for airlines to overbook flights in anticipation of last-minute passenger cancellations and flight changes.
However, when all passengers push through with their original plans, then flights get too overbooked and there’s simply no other airplane to fly the rest.
10.An Unfit Pilot
An Airplane’s pilot crew consists of a pilot, a first officer and sometimes a second officer.
All three need to be in good flying condition to ensure the safety of the passengers and the crew onboard.
When one of the pilots become “unfit to fly”, the flight won’t push through. There are reserve pilots on the ground, but if the airplane is flying out of a location without the airline head office, the reserve pilots are scarce.
If you want to know whether your flight has been delayed or cancelled, look no further. Simply download the AirWhizz App to get real-time flight and weather updates, along with all the airline and airport information you need on the move.
