When the audit schedule is set, my schedule is almost a battlefield.

Clients are spread across the country, and I frequently visit Florida, Texas, and New York.

Even though we are in an era where video meetings have become common, there are still many issues that can only be resolved in person.

So I spend the whole year flying around for business trips.

However, the problem is flight delays. Delays have become almost a chronic issue in my life.

Waking up at dawn, going to the airport, cutting through the security line, and finally taking a breath in front of the gate, only to receive a text on my phone.

"DELAYED."

A one-hour delay is just the beginning. If it gets pushed back two or three hours, my schedule starts to collapse like dominoes.

Rental car pickup times change, lunch appointments get canceled, afternoon meetings are replaced with phone calls...

In the end, time is wasted, and efficiency approaches zero. I wrestle with my laptop late into the night to rearrange my schedule.

Why do these delays happen so often? Flight delays are actually one of the major issues caused by weather.

Especially in Florida and New York. Florida experiences summer thunderstorms regularly, while New York faces winter snowstorms, spring rain, and even fog that contribute to delays.

Even if the weather is bad at another airport I'm not departing from, it can still affect my flight.

Since a single aircraft operates multiple routes to various cities in a day, if a flight coming from New York is delayed, I have to wait helplessly.

The second reason is the aircraft circulation problem.

For example, let's say I booked a flight from Atlanta to Austin.

But if this flight originally departs from Miami, stops in Charlotte, and then arrives in Atlanta,

if any of the previous segments are delayed, it's common for my flight to be disrupted all day.

The third reason is aircraft maintenance issues. Once, I had boarded the plane, but just before takeoff, the captain suddenly announced, "We need a technical check."

So we all got off and returned to the gate.

At that moment, I realized that this massive machine flying in the sky is ultimately a chunk of metal that can break down and needs maintenance.

Of course, safety is the top priority, so I have to endure it, but inside, I'm anxious about my meeting schedule.

The fourth reason is airline staffing issues.

In recent years, the airline industry has been suffering from a shortage of pilots, crew scheduling problems, and maintenance staff shortages.

Especially when the airport infrastructure itself is lacking, the situation becomes more serious.

If the runway is congested, the control tower's processing capacity is limited, and there are not enough ground staff, even if the aircraft is ready, it cannot take off.

Atlanta is one of the busiest airports in the world.

As a hub airport, it has a lot of transfers, which also affects delays.

Since each flight operates within intertwined timelines, if one is disrupted, everything else is affected.

Of course, I know that these delay issues are beyond my control.

But I can't just stress out every time.

So nowadays, when I schedule business trips, I always include 'buffer time.'

I schedule meetings at least three hours after arrival and book hotels near the airport.

And I've also gotten used to working on my laptop during the flight.

Business trips are no longer just about 'traveling'; they are a battle of schedule management and time.

To avoid being caught in delays, I ultimately need to be more flexible.

But to be honest... I still get angry every time I receive a flight delay notification.

Time is money, and I feel like I'm losing a little bit of that money every time.

But what can I do? Isn't this the fate of a 'working adult'?

The travel stories of an accountant who has made delays a part of daily life, waiting for a flight while looking up at the sky.

Hoping that this time it will be on time.