Caught up in the Flow

As pilots or passengers, we fly to go somewhere. That somewhere isnt on an airport ramp, crammed for hours into a stationary airliner. And its not cooling your heels in the runup area with the engine shut down.

Editorial Staff

Monday, December 01, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Air traffic delays are a critical safety mechanism used to manage the National Airspace System's (NAS) limited capacity, which can be exceeded due to factors like weather, runway limitations, and airline over-scheduling.
Various ATC entities, from local Traffic Management Units (TMUs) to the national Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC), employ tools like "miles in trail" requests, Ground Delay Programs (GDPs), and Expect Departure Clearance Times (EDCTs) to proactively predict and alleviate congestion.
These delay programs prioritize safety by controlling the flow of aircraft on the ground rather than risking dangerous overcrowding in the air or at destination airports.

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As pilots or passengers, we fly to go somewhere. That “somewhere” isn’t on an airport ramp, crammed for hours into a stationary airliner. And it’s not cooling your heels in the runup area with the engine shut down.

No one likes to experience aviatus interruptus. A delay is a strong sign that your destination, or a facility along your route, is reaching—or has exceeded—its maximum safe capacity.