The real reason your flight shows longer travel time and why airlines do it
If your Delhi–Mumbai flight says it will take nearly three hours, even though the actual air time is closer to 1 hour 40 minutes, there’s a calculated reason behind it. Airlines routinely add extra time to flight schedules, a tactic designed to improve their on‑time performance (OTP) and manage operational uncertainties.
A Times of India analysis shows that this “padding” of journey times is now standard across many domestic routes, especially those connecting busy hubs like Delhi and Mumbai, where congestion, weather disruptions, maintenance needs, and staff availability frequently cause delays.
