All planes are designed to fly through thunderstorms and have to comply with safety regulations. A rainstorm is unlikely to cause damage to the aircraft. The only danger of flying during bad weather is the risk of freezing rain, but in this case, your plane will most likely be delayed until the storm passes.
Jet aircraft can safely fly over thunderstorms only if their flight altitude is well above the turbulent cloud tops. The most intense and turbulent storms are often the tallest storms, so en route flights always seek to go around them.
Flights can be delayed or cancelled due to thunderstorms. Sometimes, you may be notified by the airlines that your flight has been cancelled or delayed due to severe weather conditions, but the weather at your location is perfect because there might be storms en route or at your destination.
Crosswinds greater than 50-60 km/h may cause airlines to delay or cancel flights. Even lower gusts can trigger flight delays or cancellations if the runways are wet or icy, as stiff winds can reduce a plane's ability to brake on the runway.
Modern aircraft can generate lift regardless of the heaviness of the rain. Planes can and will take off and land in the rain. The only real problem with heavy rainfall is the decrease in visibility for the pilots.
Yes, planes can fly in rain. Nowadays, airplanes are designed to fly in most weather conditions, even heavy rain. Even small planes can comfortably fly in heavy rain. Rain only becomes a threat when associated with other weather conditions, such as snow, thunderstorms, or ice.
Private general aviation planes should avoid flying through or near thunderstorms. The severe turbulence found in storm cells alone should make the pilot of a small plane very wary. The FAA has a separate set of regulations governing the lightning protection of private aircraft that do not transport passengers.
“I have flown IFR in moderate to heavy rain many times and not experienced problems, but—there is always one of those isn't there—most often heavy rain is associated with moderate or greater turbulence, which is a problem. But the turbulence is caused by convective activity, not precipitation.
Call the Airline or Check Its Website Often
When you have an upcoming flight, you can typically get information on any potential delays or cancellations by calling the airline often or checking its website. Airlines usually update flight status last minute, posting official delays only when they're sure they'll happen.
The decision to cancel or delay a flight due to bad weather is at the discretion of the airline and is based on safety concerns. Passengers are entitled to certain rights if their flight is canceled or delayed due to bad weather, such as assistance with rebooking or refunds.
If My Flight Is Cancelled Due To Weather, Do I Get A Refund? Whatever the reason behind the cancellation of your flight, you are always entitled to either re-routing or a full refund on your ticket.
If your flight has been canceled or delayed, remember that federal law entitles you to a full cash refund for the cost of your airfare (regardless of the reason).
Planes all over the world get struck by lightning almost daily. According to the US National Weather Service, an aircraft in commercial service is hit by a bolt of lightning on average once or twice yearly. However, the frequency of a specific aircraft getting hit depends on several factors.
While the electrical system in an airplane is designed to be resistant to lightning strikes, a strike of unusually high intensity can damage components such as electrically controlled fuel valves, generators, power feeders, and electrical distribution systems.
Severe turbulence can cause a plane to drop so suddenly that pilots temporarily lose control. But, again, that's not enough to crash the plane. That's not to say it's never happened. In 1966, human error and turbulence combined to bring a plane down over Mount Fuji.
There are no documented instances of a meteorite striking an airplane, nor has the Federal Bureau of Investigation released any official statement on the likely effects of such an impact, either in general or in the case of Flight 800.
Call the Airline or Check Its Website Often
When you have an upcoming flight, you can typically get information on any potential delays or cancellations by calling the airline often or checking its website. Airlines usually update flight status last minute, posting official delays only when they're sure they'll happen.
Flight tracking apps and websites — FlightAware, Flightstats, and Flight Radar all track the departure and arrival of most commercial flights and are, without doubt, the best websites to check if your flight has been delayed, cancelled or diverted.
With this in mind, horizontal winds (also known as “crosswinds”) in excess of 30-35 kts (about 34-40 mph) are generally prohibitive of take-off and landing.
Turbulence, which causes planes to suddenly jolt while in flight, is considered a fairly normal occurrence and nothing to fear. The movement is caused by "atmospheric pressure, jet streams, air around mountains, cold or warm weather fronts, or thunderstorms," according to The Federal Aviation Administration.
Most aircraft hand handle a 20 mph wind, even a cross wind. A commercial aircraft has a takeoff speed over 100 mph and wouldn't be bothered by a 20 mph from any direction. But for a small, light aircraft that wind may be significant, especially from a crosswind direction.
The catch: You have to cancel within 24 hours of booking. Airlines are required by the U.S. Department of Transportation to refund your money if you cancel a flight within 24 hours of booking unless they offer a free 24-hour hold option when shopping for tickets.
Can airlines cancel flights last-minute? They can, and they do that. Sometimes it happens because they mess up something, other times -- it's caused by something that isn't under their control. It's not something you can change, last-minute cancellations are happening and will happen.
For context, 87% of flights arrived on time during the same period last year, and less than 2% of flights were canceled. So how do you improve your odds of traveling on one of the three-quarters of flights that arrives in good time? And how have flight delays and cancelations become so prevalent?
“Roughly, you've got a 30% less chance of getting a long delay or cancellation if you go out in the morning,” said Kathleen Bangs, a former commercial airline pilot and current spokesperson for the flight-tracking site FlightAware.