Do pilots try to make up time?

The Myth of Make-Up Time in Aviation: Why Your Flight Rarely Speeds Up

Passengers often hear pilots mention making up time, fueling a common misconception that flight crews actively try to recoup lost minutes due to delays. However, the reality is far more nuanced, and for short flights, the answer is often a simple no.

While pilots are certainly concerned with punctuality, attempting to significantly accelerate a flight to “make up time” is rarely a viable or safe strategy, especially on shorter journeys. The impact of even a moderately increased speed on the overall flight time is often negligible compared to the accumulated delays. A delay of 15 minutes, for example, might only be reduced by a couple of minutes even with a considerable increase in speed, a gain often outweighed by increased fuel consumption and potential wear and tear on the aircraft.

Consider this: a flight delayed by ground operations, such as late boarding or baggage loading, isn’t something that can be overcome mid-air. Similarly, unexpected headwinds – a common cause of flight delays – cannot be magically negated by speeding up. Attempting to significantly increase speed to compensate for these factors could introduce other problems. Increased fuel consumption leads to higher operating costs for the airline, while pushing the aircraft’s performance beyond its optimal parameters could negatively impact safety and maintenance schedules.

Furthermore, Air Traffic Control (ATC) plays a crucial role. Pilots operate within a complex air traffic management system, adhering to pre-determined flight paths and altitudes. Deviating from these plans to significantly increase speed isn’t always possible, and attempting to do so without ATC clearance could lead to serious consequences, impacting the safety and efficiency of the entire air traffic system.

Therefore, the seemingly simple act of “making up time” is far more complicated than it appears. For shorter flights, the time lost is often simply absorbed into the overall schedule. Airlines build buffer time into their schedules to account for minor delays. This buffer helps to minimize the impact of unforeseen circumstances, ensuring a reasonably on-time arrival despite potential setbacks.

While pilots strive for on-time performance and will utilize available opportunities for efficiency, the notion of a concerted effort to “make up” lost time during a short flight is largely a misconception. The complexities of air traffic control, fuel efficiency, and aircraft performance generally make such attempts impractical and often counterproductive. The focus remains, above all, on safe and efficient operation.