A pilot says that being on time and checking your luggage can help your flight take off on time

For anyone who has traveled within the last year, flight delays have become a part of the regular flight routine. When it comes to arranging pickups or making your connecting flight, arriving at the airport on time with a bathroom break to spare has become a real “cross your fingers” moment.

To get one plane in the air takes a whole lot of staff – and past that, extreme weather has had a climbing effect on domestic and international flights, particularly in the last year. So if you’re nervous about flight delays, you’re not alone. And one pilot has shed some light on how passengers can help make sure the flight goes as smoothly as possible (from their end, anyway.) 

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“Find your assigned seat quickly” may sound a little obvious, but the sooner the overhead bins are loaded and butts are in seats, the sooner the plane can take off. And according to the pilot, the “butts” part is paramount, because pilots don’t start running their before-takeoff checklist until the plane’s seats are full of ‘em. Sitting in your assigned seat also means keeping that tray table up, armrests down, and all the other seat doo-dads in their proper positions.

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It’s also no secret that your carry-on bag is most likely to be checked at the gate. Overhead luggage storage often runs out on your average flight, meaning that flight crew and baggage handlers have to take extra time to tag and load previously unchecked baggage. According to this pilot’s view, additional time spent getting that luggage onto the plane is what’s most likely to delay your takeoff.

At the end of the day, the biggest hurdles faced by airlines when it comes to timely takeoff won’t be heavily influenced by your preparedness. Struggles like understaffing, overbooking, and mother nature all have their own impact on your flight times. But doing your due diligence can make the boarding process easier for you. And even if it’s not much of a personal change, if this pilot’s outlook is fairly common your flight crew will greatly appreciate your effort.

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