flight experienced a delay

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "flight experienced a delay" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts related to travel, particularly when discussing the timing of flights and any disruptions to their schedules. Example: "Due to bad weather, the flight experienced a delay of over two hours."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The same airline said another Dreamliner flight, shuttling between Haneda and the southern Miyazaki prefecture, experienced a delay due to an oil leak from a generator inside an engine.

BBC

The chief executive at my first start-up company never even experienced a flight delay.

The New York Times

surveyed, 37% claimed to have experienced a flight delay in the last two years, 38% of those longer than two hours.

The Guardian - Money

Eleven inbound flights were diverted to other airports during the latest suspension and, while outbound flights would experience a "knock-on delay", none had been cancelled, she said.

BBC

All of these can contribute to airport landing issues so with 2 nights if you experience a flight delay it is less likely to disrupt the rest of your trip.

Huffington Post

She's the person who managed to turn on the charm and get us on a flight after the gate agent told me we were too late when we had experienced a series of delays.

The New York Times

All participants in the AH-group experienced a headache attack similar to AH experience during flight.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Other flights were experiencing delays but a Heathrow spokesman said the demonstration was "having a very minimal effect on the operation" of the airport, which averages 1,300 flights a day.

The Guardian

Each time I walk past a display, I will stop to see where flights are experiencing delays and determine whether they could impact my travels.

HuffPost

Last year, malfunctions in United Airlines' computer systems grounded hundreds of flights, and American Airlines experienced delays after a bug in its iPad software meant that pilots did not have accurate airport maps.

The New York Times

#SpaceShipTwo has experienced an in-flight anomaly.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When reporting on flight delays, provide specific details such as the duration of the delay and the reason for it to give context to your message.

Common error

Instead of saying "passengers experienced a delay", which is less direct, use the active voice: "The airline delayed the passengers' flight".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "flight experienced a delay" functions as a declarative statement, typically used in news reports or travel updates to inform the audience that a flight's schedule has been disrupted. As Ludwig AI explains, it's a usable phrase in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Reference

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "flight experienced a delay" is a grammatically correct and understandable way to describe a flight that has been delayed. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. It is most commonly found in news and media contexts but is also suitable for formal and professional communication. While not as frequent as the simpler "the flight was delayed", it offers a slightly different emphasis. When writing, consider providing specific details about the delay's cause and duration for added clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Flight suffered a delay

Replaces "experienced" with "suffered", implying a negative impact.

Flight was subject to a delay

Emphasizes that the delay was imposed upon the flight.

Flight encountered a delay

Uses "encountered" to indicate that the flight faced an unexpected delay.

The flight's departure was delayed

Focuses on the departure aspect of the flight.

The flight faced a setback

Uses a more general term, "setback", to indicate a delay.

There was a delay on the flight

Restructures the sentence to start with "there was".

Flight operations were disrupted

More generic phrasing, focusing on the overall disruption.

The flight was running behind schedule

Emphasizes being late relative to the planned schedule.

The flight's schedule was disrupted

Focuses on the disruption of the schedule.

The flight's timing was affected

Uses a more general term, "affected", to indicate a change in timing.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "flight experienced a delay"?

You can use alternatives like "flight suffered a delay", "flight was delayed", or "flight encountered a delay depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "flight experienced a delay"?

Yes, the phrase "flight experienced a delay" is grammatically correct and commonly used, particularly in news and travel contexts, to describe a situation where a flight's schedule is disrupted.

What are common reasons a "flight experienced a delay"?

Common reasons include weather conditions, mechanical issues, air traffic control delays, and airport congestion. Delays can also occur due to security concerns or crew-related issues.

How does saying "flight experienced a delay" differ from "the flight was delayed"?

While both phrases convey the same basic meaning, "flight experienced a delay" might be used to emphasize the flight's role as the subject of the delay. "The flight was delayed" is more direct and commonly used.