All explainers
Everything we've published, by section. Newest first.
Delays & claims
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13 Oct 20261 min read
"ATC restrictions": what it really means when the sky ahead is full
Your delay was blamed on air traffic control restrictions. What that phrase covers, why it happens and whether you can still claim compensation.
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13 Oct 20262 min read
"ATC restrictions" is no longer an automatic get-out. What the new EU ruling means for your claim
On 8 October 2026 the EU Court of Justice ruled that an air traffic control decision isn't automatically an extraordinary circumstance. Here's what changes.
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13 Oct 20262 min read
What is a CTOT slot? Why your plane is ready but not allowed to leave
Your flight is boarded, the doors are shut, and nothing happens. A controller explains the slot system, why it exists and what it means for a claim.
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13 Oct 20261 min read
Technical problem on your flight? You can probably claim compensation
A technical fault is normally the airline's responsibility, not an extraordinary circumstance. When you can claim, and the few exceptions.
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13 Oct 20261 min read
Strike days: what you can still claim when air traffic control walks out
An ATC strike usually means no compensation. But you're still owed food, drinks, a hotel and a choice of refund or rerouting. Here's what to ask for.
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13 Oct 20262 min read
Claim it yourself: the free way to get flight delay compensation (with letter)
You don't need a claim company. How to claim UK261/EU261 compensation directly from the airline, step by step, with a free letter you can copy.
How flying works
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13 Oct 20261 min read
Flight levels: why planes fly so high
Why airliners cruise at 35,000 feet, what "flight level 350" means and how aircraft flying in opposite directions are kept at different heights.
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13 Oct 20261 min read
Holding patterns: why your plane is flying in circles
Your flight is circling instead of landing. What a holding pattern is, why controllers use them and why it's nothing to worry about.
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13 Oct 20261 min read
Separation: how air traffic control keeps planes apart
The invisible boxes around every aircraft: how far apart planes must stay, sideways and vertically, and why some need more space than others.
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13 Oct 20261 min read
Weather delays: why landing in fog takes longer
Fog, wind and storms don't stop flights, but they slow them down. Why weather cuts how many aircraft can land each hour, and what it means for your claim.
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13 Oct 20261 min read
Turbulence: what we know before you feel it
Why turbulence happens, how pilots and controllers find out where it is before you hit it, and why your seatbelt is the only thing you need to worry about.
ATC careers
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13 Oct 20262 min read
How to become an air traffic controller in the UK: the honest guide
Eligibility, the NATS online tests and assessment centres, training at college, and what trainee and qualified controllers are paid in the UK.
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13 Oct 20261 min read
How to become an air traffic controller in the US: FAA hiring and the ATSA test
FAA requirements, the ATSA aptitude test, the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, and what US air traffic controllers earn. A controller's guide.
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13 Oct 20261 min read
How to become an air traffic controller in Australia: Airservices guide
Eligibility, online tests, the assessment centre and training in Melbourne. How to become an air traffic controller with Airservices Australia.
Curiosities
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11 Oct 20261 min read
Squawk 7700: what it means when a flight shows an emergency
You saw a plane flash red on a flight tracker. Here's what squawk 7700 means, why pilots set it and why it's usually less dramatic than it looks.