Prepare for Airplane Purgatory

Passengers on United Flight 661 were stranded on the tarmac for seven hours due to a thunderstorm, leading to its cancellation. In the first five months of 2026, 342 domestic flights experienced tarmac delays exceeding three hours, with 2025 holding the previous record of over 700 such delays. Airlines prioritize tarmac delays to free up gate space and maintain schedules, but severe weather and air-traffic control shortages exacerbate the issue.