在过去几年里，中国航空公司的准点率一直普遍较低。根据中国民用航空局5月30日在官方网站上发布的《2015年民航行业发展统计公报》（以下简称 《公报》）称，2015年全国客运航空公司的平均航班正常率仅为68.33%。
自2010年以来，中国的航班准点正常率一直处于80%以下，2014年更是首次跌破70%。而在航班不正常的原因中，天气的原因约占三成，空中管制的原因约占三成，航空公司自己的原因约占两成。
与此同时，旅客等待的时间也随之增长。2015年全国客运航班平均延误时间为21分钟，同比增加了2分钟。在全球167个主要机场的放行准点率排名中，中国的机场属于比较靠后的位置，其中包括人们熟知的北京首都机场、上海浦东机场和广州白云机场。
导致航班延误的原因分析
天气原因
目前，天气是造成航班延误的主要原因。“天气原因” 包含了很多种情况，例如出发地机场天气状况不宜起飞；目的地机场天气状况不宜降落；飞行航路上气象状况不宜飞越等。在漫长的既定航线上，只要一个地方出现异常的气候条件，飞机就可能因 “天气原因” 停在原地。航空飞行领域对于 “天气状况” 的判断与普通人的生活经验有着很大的差别。飞机起降不怕大风大雨，影响的关键气象因素是能见度、机场起飞降落航道附近的低云、雷雨区、强侧风等。飞机起降的机场一旦遇到雾、雪、雨、云、风等天气时，如果跑道的能见度低于一定标准，航班便无法起降，严重时甚至会关闭机场。
空中管制原因
临时演习
中国的空域管理权属于空军，民航总局只能在空军的允许范围内使用空域，并且要随时接受空军的管理。中国大部分领空处于军方的直接管制之下，而民航能够利用的空域只有很小的一部分，这小部分还得在军方的严厉管控下方可使用。
以2013年为例，我国民航飞行架次约为美国的1/2。两国总空域面积相当，我国民航可常态使用的空域面积则约为美国的1/3，一线管制员约为美国的1/2。在此基础上估算我国民航的可用空域负荷，约为美国的1.5倍。一旦空军在某片空域演习，此空域的所有民航飞机将全部禁飞。由于演习的持续时间、管控领域属于军事机密，遇到此种情况的航空公司只能以空中管制为由向旅客解释情况。
空路拥堵
空域不大，航路就少，航路堵塞在此种情况下是必然发生的问题。例如京广航路就是一条宽20公里、高度从0至14000米的空中通道，京广间的所有航班都要在这一航路上飞行，不能有任何偏离。
每座机场也都有固定的进出港航路，所有飞机都必须按照固定航路飞行。每个机场上空有规定的进出口，被称为空中走廊。在进入机场的管制区后，飞机只能通过这些进出口起降。一旦起降飞机过多，进出港航路出现堵塞，飞机就只能排队，等待按顺序起降。
机场保障原因
机务原因
机务保障部门对于各航空公司的经停和往返航班负有过站检查、签字放行、排除故障、清除冰雪等各项保障工作。如果哪一环节出现疏漏或保障不及时，均可能造成航班延误。
安检原因
如近期由于爆炸事件，浦东机场就升级了安全检查等级
场区环境
机场上空环境出现干扰因素也是造成航班延误的重要原因。如机场附近居民场区附近放鸽子、放风筝、放航模、燃放烟花等，都会造成航班延误。
航空公司的原因
航班晚到
调配原因：因为某些特殊原因，原指定航班临时被调配去执行别的飞行任务，造成航班延误。
机械故障
旅客临上飞机或登机一半时都有可能因机械故障而被迫下客。飞机起飞后如果发现机械故障,飞机也有可能不得不返航或备降,导致航班延误。
旅客的原因
旅客因航班延误等服务问题拒绝上机或霸占航空器，释放恐怖主义言行，也可能导致航班延误。
如何应对航班延误
积极配合航空公司的现场安排
飞机从离开至到达需要经过十分复杂的管制流程。在航班起飞前，飞行员需要经过与出发许可席联络、与地面台联络、与塔台联络等6个环节，每个环节都 必须达到标准方可进行下一个操作。由于跑道等资源有限，若在规定时间内达不到起飞条件，飞行员就得全部退回重来。在这种规则下就不难解释为什么航空公司总会劝说乘客尽快登机，因为飞行员一旦延误一分钟申请航班，就要给后面所有正点申请的航班让路。因此，乘客积极配合航空公司的现场安排就显得尤为重要。
选择其他交通工具
为了降低旅行压力，很多商务人士干脆在短途旅行中放弃飞机，转而乘坐既准时又舒适，而且覆盖范围还在不断扩大的高铁。因此，选择其他交通工具，有时也是一种明智的选择。
机型、航班的选择
不同的机型有着完全不同的安全标准，有些相差十分巨大，很可能在同样的天气条件下，A380可以飞但A320就不能飞。此外，国际航班拥有优先起飞权，这也是一个世界范围内通行的不成文准则。因此，行程前机型与航班的选择有时也会带来一定的差别。
关注航空公司的准点率和机场的放行率
总部设在英国的航空信息机构OAG通常会公布《全球航空公司和机场准点报告》，统计全球4,000多个机场和900多家航空公司的航班记录，汇整前一年准点率记录最好的航空公司和机场，其中机场排名还区分小、中、大型机场。
举例来说，OAG的统计指出，每年提供超过2,000万个预订机位的大型机场中，德国慕尼黑机场以平均89%的准点率排名第一。此外，日本东京羽田机场和美国西雅图机场分别名列第2、3名，航班放行率分别为87.9%和86.2%。新加坡樟宜机场在大型机场类别中排名第4，航班放行率达85.3%。
通过航空公司的官网或App更改航班
除了航司保护的航班代理人可以直接在中航信系统中出票之外，其余航变的航班更改（无差价更改）都需要航空公司处理。目前中国国际航空公司已经推出了App的航变改期功能，东航、南航和中国国际航空在各自官网上也有不正常航班的自助改期功能。
通过中航嘉信服务团队和手机App更改航班
中航嘉信专业的旅行顾问会根据情况进行判断，第一时间告知旅行者最为快捷的航班变更方案或者直接帮助旅行者联系航司更改航班。使用中航嘉信手机App的旅客，如果机票是通过App预订的，可以直接在手机上预订新的机票，同时提交原订单的退票申请。
下期刊物连载：“中航嘉信商旅视点 ” 第六期 — 中国过境免签政策详解，敬请期待！
For the last few years, Chinese airlines have held some of the worst 'on-time' records. According to the Civil Aviation Development 2015: Statistical Bulletin released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China on May 30, the average on-time arrival rate of passenger airlines in China in 2015 was just 68.33%.
China's on-time arrival rate for airlines has been below 80% since 2010 and dropped below 70% for the first time in 2014. Approximately 30% of all flight delays were caused by the weather, 30% or so by air traffic control and around 20% by the carrier's own reason.
The length of time passengers are forced to wait has also increased. In 2015 the average delay time of passenger flights in China was 21 minutes - two minutes longer than in the previous year. China's airports (including well-known Beijing Capital International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport) also ranked lower than many of the167 major airports worldwide for on-time departure rates.
What causes flight delays?
Weather
Currently, weather is the biggest cause of flight delays in China. Bad weather can mean visibility on the runways may fail to meet certain criteria, so flights are unable to depart or land, or meteorological conditions can cause flights to be re-routed or postponed. Aviation professionals take into account a variety of factors when determining if it is safe to fly including visibility, low cloud, thunderstorms or strong crosswinds near the runway. In the case of extreme weather, airports may even be closed.
Air Traffic Control
Military Drills
In China, the air force have control over the airspace, and only permit the Civil Aviation Administration of China to use a small proportion of the skies. Despite China sharing a similar sized airspace as the U.S., the actual territory designated for civil aviation is about one third of that of the U.S. In addition, military drills may take place in areas used for civil aviation, inevitably impacting passenger flights, which are not able to use the airspace during this time. Since the duration and location of the drill is confidential information, airlines are not able to fully explain the delay to passengers either, which can cause some frustration when delays are attributed to air traffic control.
Heavy Traffic
Limited airspace also means fewer air routes, which leads to heavy volumes of traffic. For instance, planes are not allowed to deviate from the Beijing-Guangzhou Air route, which spans 20 km horizontally and 14,000 meters vertically. There are designated air corridors for arriving and departing planes at each airport, so high volumes of flights leads to traffic jams, causing delays.
Airport process
The airport is responsible for checking stopover and round-trip flights, signing for departure, troubleshooting, clearing ice and snow, etc. Any errors or delays in the procedures may lead to flight delays.
Airport security is essential; however tight controls and checks can be a cause of flight delays, which is out of the control of the airlines. For example, recent incidents, such as the explosion at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, have led to enhanced security measures.
Flights may also be delayed if any objects intercept the airspace directly above the airport, such as local residents releasing doves, flying kites or model airplanes, or setting off fireworks.
Carrier decision
Flights may also be delayed if the scheduled aircraft is temporarily deployed for other flight missions for special reasons.
Mechanical failures on planes can delay boarding, force passengers to
exit on the runway or even cause the pilot to make an emergency landing.
Late or unreasonable passengers
Many airlines make every effort to ensure that the flight is not delayed whilst waiting for passengers to turn up, however hold ups can occur when passengers arrive late, or even refuse to comply with aircraft safety rules.
How to minimize the risk of flight delays
Play with the rules
Pilots have to go through a six-step process before they are cleared for take-off; if they do not meet the criteria within the allotted time slot, they have to withdraw and go through the process again. Boarding late can impact this process, so make sure you arrive at the airport on time, and board early.
Consider alternatives
Sometimes flying is the only option, but for short-distance travel, you might wish to consider alternative modes of transport, such as high-speed rail, which is becoming a more comfortable, and punctual choice for many business travelers.
Choose your aircraft model
The safety standards for different aircraft models are so different that, in some weather conditions an A380 can take off while an A320 cannot, so if it's an option it may pay to be selective.
Pay attention to on-time rates
The UK-based aeronautical information agency OAG releases an annual report on the on-time performance of more than 4,000 airlines and over 900 airports, which can help you when selecting routes and airlines for your travel booking. Currently, Munich Airport ranks first amongst large airports, with an average on-time arrival rate of 89%.
Change flight via official website or App of airlines
While agents authorized by the airlines can directly issue tickets through TravelSky, flight changes (without price difference) have to be processed by the airlines. Currently, Air China has added flight change function to its App. Besides, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Air China have all launched self-service flight change for abnormal flights on their official websites.
Change flights via CWT Online app or CWT service teams
In the case of a delayed or cancelled flight, Carlson Wagonlit Travel China's consultants will inform travelers of the quickest way to change their flight; however passengers who book their tickets via the CWT Online app can also book a new ticket and apply for cancellation of the original ticket with just a few touches on their smartphones.
关注中航嘉信微信公众平台，
完美旅程由此开始！
