Just trying to get home…and the airlines really aren’t ready for delays
After a great AHP International Conference, all I wanted to do was to “get home.” And it was not easy. At one point, I literally had three separate plane tickets, on three separate airlines, with three boarding passes on my phone. And this is not a completely foreign experience to me. It has happened before…
This time, an enormous storm overtook the middle part of the country. The storm extended from Texas to South Dakota. It included Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis, and many smaller communities. But Dallas and Denver were key to airlines. With American and United using the respective airports as their main hubs, every possible “bad” scenario came to fruition.
What did I learn…. that a weather issue shows the airlines aren’t really prepared for any small (or large) interruption to their schedule.
Weather delays account for a significant portion of flight disruptions, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reporting that weather-related delays contribute to over 70% of total flight delays in the U.S. annually. Winter storms, hurricanes, and severe thunderstorms can disrupt hundreds of flights at major hubs in a single day, yet airlines often lack the resources and infrastructure to manage these sudden surges in cancellations or delays effectively.
A key factor is the cost-intensive nature of weather preparedness. Airlines operate on thin profit margins, with average global net profit per passenger in 2022 at around $2.25, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Investing in extensive contingency resources—such as additional aircraft, crew, and technology to predict and mitigate weather impacts—is expensive and often deprioritized due to these slim margins.
Airlines also face logistical challenges in deploying resources where they are needed most. Hub airports are generally scheduled to operate near capacity, so when major weather events cause delays or groundings, there is little flexibility in schedules or availability of backup aircraft and crews. Repositioning aircraft and crew in response to these events can take days, and the scarcity of hotel accommodations and rebooking options exacerbates passenger frustration.
And let’s not forget the government involvement. Regulatory constraints can limit how airlines respond to delays. For instance, the DOT’s “three-hour rule” limits how long passengers can be held on the tarmac without disembarking. While intended to protect passengers, it complicates airline operations during weather delays, as each delay requires airlines to consider re-boarding and crew scheduling. All of these factors combine to limit airlines' preparedness for major weather disruptions at their hub airports.
What are the answers? Or the possibilities?
Larger airplane (seating) so there is excess capacity?
More flights?
Better “repositioning” options?
I was lucky. I can afford the options of multiple tickets. I have status on several airlines. I got on the airplane of the third and last option to get home at 1am. But this is a bigger problem. And I am not just putting the blame on the airlines. But something has to be done to find some form of option to deal with this issue. The first snow storm of the season is not the last.
