Why is every flight completely full?

The short answer to this is economics: airlines want to make sure that every flight is as full as possible to maximize their profits. The reported reason why airlines routinely oversell their seats is to recover costs the airline incurs for seat cancellations and for travelers who do not show up to take the flight.



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But all is not lost. There's no doubt that planes are very full these days, but contrary to what the gate agent or flight attendant says when trying to get you to gate check your luggage to your final destination, most flights aren't completely full — most still depart with at least one empty seat.

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Commercial airlines worldwide - passenger load factor 2005-2023. Global airlines' combined passenger load factor has been gradually trending upward over the last 15 years; from 75.2 percent in 2005 to 82.6 percent in 2019. In 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, passenger load factor dropped to 65 percent.

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Consulting firm Oliver Wyman estimates that despite efforts to close the gap, airlines in North America will face a shortage of nearly 30,000 pilots by 2032. The supply of new pilots will grow, but not enough to offset a continuing wave of retirements, the consultant says. There is cause for hope, however.

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While it's important to note that the best day of the week to fly varies based on the route, typically, the best days of the week to fly are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The general rule is that mid-week flights will be cheaper and quieter.

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Generally, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best weekdays to fly. Thursday is a bit more expensive but still reasonable. Saturday is usually the cheapest weekend day to fly. That does not mean you cannot find great flight prices on the other days of the week.

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The US leads in number of passengers carried, 926.74 million, in 2019 (The Global Economy, 2019). China claims the second spot with more than 659 million passengers, followed by Ireland with over 170 million. International flights typically use an Airbus A380, which has a seating capacity of 868.

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Missed flights may be one of the biggest air travel irritants. Depending on where you're headed, anywhere from 2% to 8% of passengers miss their flight. But there are ways to fix the problem and get to your destination. If you act quickly, know your rights and stay polite, you'll be on your way.

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The short answer to this is economics: airlines want to make sure that every flight is as full as possible to maximize their profits. The reported reason why airlines routinely oversell their seats is to recover costs the airline incurs for seat cancellations and for travelers who do not show up to take the flight.

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The longest flight in the world, currently flown by Singapore Airlines, is proof. For travelers who want to visit loved ones—not to mention frequent fliers looking for new ways to earn and burn miles and points—this 19-hour journey from John F. Kennedy is a gem in the crown of ultra-long-haul travel.

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Do pilots actually fly the planes? Pilots typically fly the plane during take off and landing. The pilot manually controls the plane until it reaches the required height.

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Is it less scary to fly at night? Statistics say that flights during the early morning or night are less turbulent than day-time flights. These red-eye flights mean you can worry less and catch up on much-needed sleep due to a smoother flight and less worrying about turbulence.

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How the major airlines ranked for cancellations in 2022
  • Hawaiian Airlines and its partners – 0.92% of flights canceled.
  • Delta Air Lines and its partners – 2% of flights canceled.
  • Alaska Airlines and its partners – 2.16% of flights canceled.
  • United Airlines and its partners – 2.71% of flights canceled.


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Nighttime or morning flights are statistically better for turbulence, compared to those in the day. Although turbulence can't be completely avoided at night, winds are often weaker and thermal convection turbulence is less, making the chances of encountering turbulence reduced.

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Blame expensive flights on rising fuel costs, labor shortages, and high demand. According to Fred Baker, the Senior Travel Editor at Travelness, there are a few reasons why flights are so expensive right now. “Fuel prices have been on the rise lately due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East,” he said.

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Staffing issues for pilots and licensed mechanics have been exacerbated by lags in training due to Covid, and the use of pandemic bailout funds by airlines to buy out or force the early retirement of senior employees under the assumption there would be a pipeline of replacement workers at lower costs when travel demand ...

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There are several reasons why flights may be canceled, including bad weather, air traffic restrictions, lack of airplane or staff, technical problems, and low passenger numbers.

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