Why Do Airlines Cancel Flights?

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Why Do Airlines Cancel Flights?

There is no worse feeling than waking up on the day you're meant to be going on vacation and seeing that dreaded email flash up on your phone: 'Your flight has been cancelled'. Perhaps in that moment, you groaned and rolled over, asking yourself why this had to happen? Well, in this article we're going to lay out some of the major reasons why airlines cancel flights as well as what you can do if your flight gets cancelled.

Trying to cancel a flight? Check out our article on how to cancel a flight.

Raindrops on an airplane window on an overcast day

Dangerous Weather

The most common reason why airlines might choose to cancel a flight is due to dangerous flying conditions. Harsh weather like torrential rain/thunderstorms, hail or freak weather events like hurricanes can force airlines to ground their flights until the weather clears. These pesky bouts of weather can make the pilot unable to safely navigate due to low visibility, or in serious cases, damage the planes themselves.

It isn't uncommon for adverse weather at a totally different airport to have a ripple effect of delays. For example, a flight from Denver to San Juan might be delayed due to a thunderstorm in Portland. This is because most airlines operate on a tightly knit schedule and the delayed flight crew or aircraft might be necessary for your journey.

Technical Faults

Aircrafts are incredibly intricate pieces of technology, which rely on finely tuned instruments and support systems to stay in the air. Sometimes of course, these systems fail and that can cause delays. This failure of service effects not just a single flight, but to countless flights across nations.

Surprisingly, what causes most technical delays are not aircraft themselves but rather the scheduling system that airports use to control take off and departures. Since schedules are so densely packed and air traffic control won't allow any take offs while their systems are down this can very easily compound. Turning one delayed flight into countless cancelled ones.

As we have moved away from paper flight schedules and the world has become increasingly digital this has become a rising factor in flight delays.

Security Concerns

Security is not something that you want airlines to take lightly. But a consequence of good security is strict rules and regulations, a minor infraction of which can cause delays and cancellations. We've all had that experience of going through an airport security: Taking our shoes and our belts off, putting our devices in a separate tray and watching our fellow passengers fail to do the same, holding up the line. The reason why this process is so laborious is to prevent security risk of course, but also to try and minimise delays caused by these threats.

These systems aren't perfect and threats are sometimes only detected on the air side of the airport. When this occurs it can trigger an increase in security, the grounding of flights and even a lockdown of the airport in extreme cases.

What Can I Do If My Flight is Cancelled?

Flights being cancelled can be an absolute nightmare, and throw a spanner in the works at the very last minute before your holiday begins. But these situations can have a variety of solutions, which airline passengers should know before they travel.

The airline will likely book you on the next available flight. Be vigilant of this, as the new flight might not work for your schedule, and you may need to contact them for further support. In instances where you are not rebooked automatically, the airline should offer either a full refund or flight credit for your travel, however, this is an unlikely outcome, as airlines are reluctant to give out refunds. If you book with Alternative Airlines, we offer Cancellation Protection which can guarantee you a refund in the event of a cancellation, whether you cancel your flights, or the airline does.

The best course of action is always to keep an eye on your emails, as airlines are quick to communicate delays and cancellations. If your flight is cancelled while you are in the airport, listen for announcements or seek advice at your airlines helpdesk.

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Flight Cancellation FAQs

What should I do if I want to cancel my flight?

Cancelling flights can be a tricky thing, as most flights are non-refundable. If you book with Alternative Airlines, however, there are a few services of protection we offer. Firstly there is our Cancellation Protection, which allows you to cancel your flight in the case of an emergency (vehicular failure, injury, etc). Find out more about cancelling your flights.

Can you avoid cancelled flights?

There are no sure-fire ways to avoid delays or cancellations, however, you can increase your chances of dodging them by travelling earlier in the morning. Typically delays and cancellations are knock-on effects from earlier departures, and planes are usually already at the right airport for their first flight of the day.

How often are flights cancelled?

Most airlines have a cancellation rate of in and around 1%. This means that there is a very low rate of cancellation globally, however before you book with an airline it is advisable to check their reliability.

How can I rebook a cancelled flight?

If your flight is cancelled while you are in the airport, you should attend the airlines helpdesk, where they would be happy to book you onto the next available flight to your destination. If your flight has been pre-emptively cancelled then your airline should automatically rebook it. If they didn't, the best way to rebook your flight is to use the search bar at the top of the page to find the perfect flight for you.