Choose air freight to have the characteristics of safety and speed, which is the advantage of air freight over other modes of transportation. However, because air transportation is a special industry with extremely high safety requirements, there are some uncertainties in the air transportation industry. For example, airline delays are a problem that has been plaguing airports and airlines.

For friends in the freight forwarding industry, I believe that everyone has encountered delays in goods more or less, but every time this happens, there will be some small partners who don't know how to explain to customers, because there are some delays The reasons are relatively rare, and even hilarious. Next, I will introduce to you the common reasons that cause air cargo delays.

Airport reasons

The aircraft must take off from the airport, and the operation of the airport plays a decisive role in the flight. Specifically, the following situations may affect the normal operation of the flight.

Maintenance reasons: The airport maintenance department needs to be responsible for the stop inspection, signature release, troubleshooting, ice and snow removal and other security work for the stopover and round-trip flights of each airline's aircraft. If there is any problem in any link, it will cause flight delays .

The reason for the runway: When the actual throughput of an airport reaches the maximum production capacity, if a flight is delayed, a chain reaction may occur. If an aircraft occupies the runway for a long time, it will cause the aircraft behind it to be unable to load and unload cargo, affecting the flight of multiple aircraft.

Airport cargo terminal: In recent years, with the increasing proportion of the total air cargo turnover in the comprehensive logistics system, the air cargo terminal has also received more and more attention. However, the civil aviation industry has a long tradition of placing heavy weight on passengers and light on cargo. The air cargo station has a weak capability in resource allocation, and the cargo and mail handling capacity of the airport cargo terminal is limited, which affects the cargo transportation of some airports. Many airports are also building and expanding air cargo inbound and outbound terminals to provide protection for air cargo.

Airport environment: Mainly due to interference factors near the airport. It is more common for animals (such as birds and wild dogs) to break into the airport area, resulting in flight obstruction. There are also balloons, kites, and now the most worrying thing is drones. There have been many cases of massive flight delays caused by drones breaking into airport areas in many parts of the world.

Carrier Reason

The carrier is the airline's own reasons that cause flight delays, thus affecting the transportation of goods.

Reason for the crew: If the flight crew is not responsible enough and fails to board the plane at the normal time to prepare for the flight mission, it may cause the flight to be delayed. This kind of thing often happens to some foreign airlines. For example, the pilot can't fly because of drinking and remembering the wrong time.

Mechanical failure: In order for an aircraft to fly, it must undergo safety inspections and regular maintenance. However, no matter how perfect the maintenance system is, the sudden failure of aircraft equipment cannot be avoided. In general, the time to troubleshoot is faster if the aircraft is at the airline's base. Otherwise, the failure is difficult to repair, it takes a lot of time, and the delay time will be longer.

Non-Carrier Reasons

Weather reasons: At present, the weather is the main reason for flight delays. Once bad weather is encountered, the flight has to be delayed or cancelled, and the goods are also affected. The most terrifying thing is the typhoon weather, the airport is affected, and the plane cannot take off and land normally. Most customers can understand if the goods are delayed due to weather. Recently, Typhoon Hagibis hit Japan, and all flights to Japan were cancelled. Air traffic control: Air traffic control is a means for countries around the world to manage free airspace. For military reasons or some major activities, airspace control actions will be implemented to limit the number of flights or prohibit flights. This will affect civil aviation transportation, and many planes will wait on the ground or return or land at other nearby airports. After the air control is lifted, the ground will often be blocked in a large area, and the large number of flights will be digested, and delays will occur again.

Reasons for passengers: Since cargo aircraft transports goods in a small number, as far as the current domestic situation is concerned, most air cargoes are carried out by passenger aircraft. Flight delays caused by passenger reasons are also becoming more and more common, including passengers boarding late, passengers on the plane leaving without saying goodbye, passengers making a big noise in the cabin, or due to sudden illness of passengers, the flight needs to return or make an emergency landing.

Reason for cargo: Problems with the transported cargo, whether during the loading process or during the flight, will affect the flight. For example, lithium batteries burst into flames, dangerous goods smoke, liquid goods leak, etc.

Air emergencies: After the plane takes off, it does not mean that it is insured. If some emergencies are encountered in the air, it may also cause the flight to return and make an alternate landing, which will also cause cargo delays. For example, an airline once returned because the toilet on the plane was broken. Last month, a North American airline plane transported a large amount of durian in the cargo hold. The smell wafted out during the flight. The crew felt it was very unpleasant, and the captain had to return.

All of the above factors may cause flight delays. In real life, there will be many emergencies that cause cargo delays. This is also determined by the nature of the airfreight industry. Flight safety is very important, and there is no room for sloppiness.