There are nearly 200 national capitals around the globe, so it wouldn’t be surprising if you draw a blank trying to remember them all. To make matters more confusing, some countries have multiple capitals, some have changed their capitals, and some have capitals that are only home to a few hundred people. But above all else, the six cities below stand out from the pack as the international capitals that everyone always seems to get wrong. Can you keep these commonly confused capitals straight? 

Canberra, Australia

If you’re heading to the land Down Under, chances are you’ll begin your adventure in Sydney — that famous city with its majestic harborfront opera house. But that isn’t the capital of Australia. Neither are popular cities such as Melbourne, Perth, or Brisbane. The lesser-known city of Canberra doesn’t always ring a bell, but it is, in fact, the capital of Australia.

Home to just about 400,000 people, Canberra has a small-town vibe that allows visitors to experience all the city has to offer without feeling overwhelmed. From art to history to the great outdoors, Canberra has plenty of appeal for visitors — you’ll find museums, breweries, and incredible architecture to explore, along with stunning views of the mountains and valleys surrounding the city.

Rabat, Morocco

Watch a lot of movies, and you might imagine the city of Casablanca is the capital of Morocco. Even with the likes of Bogie and Bergman gracing your screens and making you fall in love with Morocco, this beautiful city isn’t the capital. Nor is the popular tourist hotspot Marrakech. The capital of this North African nation is actually Rabat.

Rabat is a hidden gem with a lot to offer, including the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, a preserved holy place that’s open to the public. Three members of the Alaouite dynasty are interred within, and its architectural style is reminiscent of the dynasty’s period of rule.

Ankara, Turkey

With a history dating back to the stone age, the capital of Turkey is a familiar name, but not the one most think of first. While Istanbul is probably the best-known city in the country, it’s not the capital. The actual capital, Ankara, sits about 280 miles inland from Istanbul. It has roughly one-third the population of Istanbul and is not nearly as famous.

One thing Ankara does offer, though, is the famous Angora (long-haired) goats and cats. In fact, Angora used to be the name of the city before it was renamed Ankara. From Roman-era temples to a Byzantine citadel to a Seljuk era mosque, there are many different viewpoints from which to see the city. Ottoman buildings fill a large portion of the city, some having been converted into museums to educate visitors.

Ottawa, Canada

Toronto? Nope. Montreal? Try again. Vancouver? Still not correct. Canada’s capital is Ottawa, located in the province of Ontario about midway between the country’s two largest cities of Montreal and Toronto. Ottawa houses a bilingual parliament and has its own rich traditions, even if it isn’t typically the top spot to visit on a trip up north.

Home to the Rideau Canal, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ottawa boasts year-round celebrations and festivals, offers a cosmopolitan vibe, and can easily be traversed by foot. Many visitors enjoy the historic ByWard Market, which is lined with markets and cute shops.

Brasília, Brazil

Many guess that Rio de Janeiro is the capital of Brazil. While that used to be the case, the city famous for its beaches and Sugar Loaf Mountain is no longer the national capital. After being built from scratch in the 1960s, the current capital of the largest country in South America is Brasília, found about 720 miles to the northwest.

This city is home to almost 3 million residents and has a tropical savannah climate with high humidity. If you visit, you’ll want to check out the Cathedral of Brasília, a Roman Catholic cathedral that looks more like a state-of-the-art museum in New York City than any a place of worship. The Chapada dos Veadeiros is a renowned national park with numerous waterfalls and opportunities to see wildlife. You can also visit the Poço Azul, or “Blue Pool,” a natural wonder formed from quartz that is a popular snorkeling location.

Bern, Switzerland

Since the United Nations’ European headquarters are in Geneva, most people assume that it must be the capital of Switzerland. Or, they guess Zürich, the most populated city in the country. But the honor instead belongs to Bern. The city, located on the Aare River, is the fifth-largest in the country and offers just as much beauty as the rest of Switzerland. Highlights for visitors to Bern include wandering the old city, checking out the medieval Zytglogge (Clock Tower) and parliament building, and strolling the city’s spectacular rose garden.

High-speed rail services provide seamless travel between cities at lightning-quick speeds — but only for those lucky enough to live near one. Unfortunately, these trains are far more common throughout Asia and Europe than they are here in the United States. Many extant railroad tracks in America are incapable of handling trains traveling at such fast speeds, requiring entirely new tracks to be laid. The good news is that several proposals for speedier train lines are currently in the works, and it may not be long before we see more and more rapid transit options popping up around the country. Here are six of the coolest high-speed rail projects in the U.S. that could soon become a reality.

Acela’s New Fleet – Boston, Massachusetts, to Washington, D.C.

Reaching maximum speeds of around 150 mph, Amtrak’s Acela line is currently the only true high-speed rail service available in the U.S. The route — which services approximately 3 million passengers annually — begins in Boston, Massachusetts, passes through New York City, and ends in Washington, D.C. 

While Acela has been in operation since 2000, a new line of faster cars is set to be unveiled in 2024. These updated trains will operate at record speeds of 160 mph. Once safety testing is complete, Amtrak will introduce 28 of these new high-speed Acela cars, each with complimentary Wi-Fi, outlets and USB ports, and 25% more seating capacity than older models. There’s no exact date for when Acela’s new fleet will make its official debut, but keep your eyes peeled for these cars to hit the tracks sometime in 2024.

Brightline – Orlando International Airport to Cocoa, Florida

In 2018, the Brightline train service debuted in Florida, connecting the cities of Orlando and Miami. While not a true high-speed rail service, the company’s trains reach speeds of up to 79 mph throughout much of South Florida. 

Better yet, Brightline has begun testing a new model that is set to carry passengers at maximum speeds of 125 mph, which would make it the fastest train in Florida. These updated cars will service a 35-mile-long stretch between Orlando International Airport and the city of Cocoa. The new Brightline service is expected to become operational by 2028.

Brightline West – Las Vegas, Nevada, to Rancho Cucamonga, California

On the country’s opposite coast, Brightline’s new sister service is also in the works. Workers broke ground on the project, known as Brightline West, in early 2024, with a goal of wrapping up construction prior to the start of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. 

Should everything go according to plan, Brightline West may not only become the fastest train in California, but also the entire United States. This proposed route will exceed speeds of 186 mph, connecting Las Vegas, Nevada, and Rancho Cucamonga, California. This would allow passengers to complete the trek in just two hours and 10 minutes — half the time it takes to drive between the two locations. The ambitious project is only just underway, so stay tuned for updates.

Cascadia Rail – Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon

The Cascadia Rail is a proposed bullet train that would connect Vancouver, Canada, with neighboring Washington state. The route would continue through major cities such as Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, and Portland, before finishing its journey in Eugene. 

All told, this 250 mph train would theoretically turn an eight-hour drive into less than a two-hour train trip. Advocates for the Cascadia Rail began publicizing the project in 2018, hoping to complete work by 2030. However, the project is still in its infancy and has yet to receive the necessary government funding for its projected price tag — between $36 billion and a whopping $150 billion. That said, the region received $500,000 in 2023 as the government allocated grant money to various rail projects across the country. Supporters of the project are hopeful that this small amount of funding will help stimulate the project.

Central Valley Line – Bakersfield, California, to Merced, California

The California High-Speed Rail Authority is currently constructing a rapid rail service throughout the central portion of the state known as the Central Valley Line. This project includes building 171 miles of new high-speed railroad tracks to connect the cities of Bakersfield and Merced, which lie about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Given the flat topography of the region, these trains are expected to reach record-breaking speeds of 220 mph — assuming the project goes forward as expected. 

The Central Valley Line is only the beginning of a larger proposed rail network throughout California, with the hopes of connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco by high-speed rail in the future. Should this grand vision ultimately come to fruition, passengers will be able to make that trip in just three hours, about half the time it currently takes.

Texas Central – Dallas to Houston

The Texas Central high-speed rail project seeks to connect the state’s two biggest cities, Dallas and Houston, with 240 miles of new high-speed railway. The drive between these two cities currently takes nearly four hours, but the Texas Central train would theoretically make the trip in just 90 minutes. 

Texas Central train cars are planned to operate at speeds in excess of 200 mph, departing every 30 minutes during peak commuting hours. The company seeks to utilize the same high-speed trains that currently run between the Japanese cities of Osaka and Tokyo. Each Texas Central train will be made up of eight cars capable of holding roughly 400 passengers. The project is yet to be officially authorized, but if given the green light, the Texas Central rail line will take roughly five years to complete.

When flying, have you ever heard the crew utter words like “cross check,” “all call,” or “jump seat”? Such terms may be unfamiliar to the uninformed ear, but it’s all part of a coded system used by flight attendants for efficient and often discreet communication. These expressions can refer to parts of the aircraft and even the passengers, but don’t worry, it’s not like they’re talking about you behind your back — at least most of the time. Here are some of the more common terms that make up the secret language of flight attendants.

Cross Check and All Call

Before departure or arrival, flight attendants perform a “cross check.” This process involves double-checking that the aircraft doors are properly armed or disarmed before opening. If the doors are armed, then an inflatable escape slide or raft will deploy when opened during an emergency. If unarmed, nothing will happen when the door is opened. (Doors must be unarmed for passengers to embark and disembark the plane.) To perform a cross check, the flight attendant either locks or unlocks a special level before sliding it to the appropriate side.

Once the cross check has concluded, the entire flight attendant crew hops on the internal phone system to perform what’s known as an “all call.” All calls alert fellow crew members that all the necessary safety precautions have been taken before the flight can depart.

Jump Seat

Each flight attendant has a special retractable seat to use for takeoffs and landings called a “jump seat.” This chair is often small and somewhat uncomfortable, but it provides each crew member with a place to sit during arrivals and departures. The seat earned its name because it automatically folds back up once the flight attendant jumps back on their feet.

Similarly, a “jump seater” refers to any off-duty crew member who hitches a ride on a flight when there aren’t any regular passenger seats available. Instead, jump seaters must settle for those retractable jump seats if they want to take the flight, but they may choose to simply stand for much of the flight.

Spinners and Runners

A “spinner” is a last-minute passenger who boards the aircraft without a specific seat assignment. Spinners often find themselves turning around in the aisle seeing what’s available. This action looks like they’re spinning around, hence the term. “Runners” are passengers who are found sprinting towards the aircraft before the doors close. The term runner can refer to anyone who arrived at the airport late, or those who have just landed on a delayed connecting flight.

U.M.

The abbreviation “U.M.” is a coded way to communicate that there’s an unaccompanied minor (usually children between 8 and 17 years old, depending on the airline) aboard the flight. Flight attendants are often tasked with providing special assistance to these minors who are traveling alone.

Blue Room

During official announcements over the loudspeaker, flight attendants often refer to the airplane bathroom as the “lavatory.” But when it comes to flight attendant speak, the bathroom is often called the “blue room.” The term refers to the blue deodorizing liquid found when you flush many airplane toilets.

Bulkhead

“Bulkhead” is used to describe the wall that separates a seating section from the aircraft lavatories and galleys. The bulkhead is located directly in front of the first row of each cabin, and it typically provides extra legroom for those lucky enough to sit there.

Pink-Eye

You may have heard of a red-eye flight, a trip that is scheduled overnight. But if the plane leaves slightly earlier, then it may be known as a “pink-eye.” Pink-eye flights often depart at nighttime but don’t fly entirely overnight, instead arriving at their destination after midnight but before sunrise.

Chimes

The various dings and other sounds that you hear during the course of your flight are known as “chimes,” and each one has a different meaning depending on both the tone and number of chimes. These signals can alert the flight attendants if a passenger requests their service, if they’re needed by the pilot, or if there’s an emergency onboard the aircraft.

Commuters and Crash Pads

Many flight attendants operate out of what’s known as the “crew base,” which acts as the main hub for the airline for which they’re employed. But it’s common for flight attendants — especially more junior ones — to live in a different city than their base, and they must fly into the airport each morning before they can start their shift. These crew members are known as “commuters.”

Many flight attendants who commute rely on “crash pads” as a place to sleep. These communal apartments are often shared between dozens of people, though it’s rare for everyone to sleep there at the same time. Instead, these crash pads have various beds that are available for any flight attendant to sleep in, depending on the flights to which they’re assigned.

Gate Lice

The phrase “gate lice” refers to when people crowd around the entry trying to board the aircraft before their zone is called to board. If you’re worried about being called gate lice, just wait for your boarding group to be called before you line up at the gate.

Privo

“Privo” is the flight attendant shorthand for provisioning. This refers to every consumable item on the aircraft, including beverages, snacks, and passenger meals.

Originator

The word “originator” describes the first flight to depart an airport on any given day. It’s critical that the originator flight leaves on time. If its departure is delayed, then that’s likely to delay every flight assigned to that aircraft for the remainder of the day.

Turn

A “turn” typically refers to the turnaround time for an aircraft between flights. For flight attendants, it’s also a term that describes an extremely quick geographic turnaround. This is typically when a flight attendant departs from one city, arrives in another, and then immediately gets on a flight returning to the original city from where they started their day.

Two-for-One Special

On occasion, an airplane will bounce during landing, but it’s usually nothing to worry about. Flight attendants refer to this double bounce as a “two-for-one special.”

Ever since airlines introduced fees for checked baggage, there has been an increase in travelers boarding with carry-on luggage. Overhead bins fill quickly on full flights, and no one wants to run the risk of the crew insisting they gate-check your bags, which brings with it the inconvenience and delay associated with waiting at the luggage carousel at the other end. In such instances, getting on the plane ahead of the pack can be beneficial. Wondering how to board earlier on your next flight? Let’s run through the options for priority boarding below.

Be Part of a Qualifying Group

If you’ve been caught in an aisle bottleneck caused by a dawdling toddler or seen how long it takes to settle a baby into an airplane seat, you’ll understand why airlines permit families with small children to board early. Precisely who qualifies depends on the airline. For instance, American Airlines asks that passengers traveling with a child under two years old request assistance if they wish to board first. Similarly, agents for United Airlines flights will call families with children under two for pre-boarding — particularly useful if you need to gate-check a stroller. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines boards in three groups (A, B, and C) and permits children under six to board with their families after Group A has finished boarding. 

Other passengers who require special assistance, such as those with a disability or travelers with impaired mobility, are also given priority when it comes to boarding. Elderly passengers are invited to make themselves known to gate agents if they require early boarding. The U.S. Department of Transportation recommends that you notify the airline as early as possible if you require assistance at the airport, including pre-boarding, suggesting a minimum of 48 hours’ notice. 

Most U.S. airlines also offer active military personnel priority boarding. How early they are permitted to board varies from airline to airline. For instance, Alaska Airlines, Delta and United allow active military with ID to board first, while American has them in Group 1 behind those qualifying for pre-boarding. Southwest places them ahead of Groups B and C. JetBlue places active military in Group 4 of 10, but also offers a range of privileges including discounted fares and free baggage to serving personnel (and retirees registered with their Veterans Advantage program).

Upgrade to First or Business Class

When it comes to flying, money talks. If you’ve shelled out the big bucks for a premium seat at the front of the plane, you’ll be among the first to board. Or, you may wish to spend a little extra time in the lounge, if access is included before your flight, and skip to the front of the queue whenever you’re ready to get settled on the plane. Flight attendants serving first and business cabins will also most likely offer their guests a welcome drink while other passengers are boarding. 

Earn Elite Airline Status

Attaining elite status with your preferred airline is another way to secure early boarding. Frequent fliers rack up tens of thousands of miles every year and are rewarded with a number of valuable benefits, one of which is getting on the plane ahead of the pack. How you qualify — and precisely when you are invited to board — varies by airline and elite status level. You can also potentially unlock elite status on multiple airlines with status match promotions, in which you can apply to extend your elite status with one airline across competing airlines, usually for a limited period of time.

Get a Credit Card That Offers Early Boarding Perks

Don’t fly (or spend) enough to earn elite status? Fortunately, early boarding is a perk for holders of certain airline credit cards. For instance, the Gold Delta Skymiles credit card includes Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding as part of the perks offered for its $150 annual fee (as of 2024). A similar benefit is available with the United Explorer Card ($95 fee, waived the first year) or the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card, which also offers unlimited lounge access for its $595 annual fee. Similarly, on four flights per year, holders of the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card ($149 annual fee) will be offered the best A1-A15 boarding position available to be one of the first on the plane.

Purchase Priority Boarding Directly From the Airline

If all else fails, some airlines allow customers to purchase priority boarding, either as a standalone option or as part of a package that may include extra perks such as seats with additional legroom. For instance, JetBlue’s Even More Space option gives travelers the chance to pay for priority boarding, starting at $10 each way. It is also possible to purchase Southwest Airlines’ Upgraded Boarding option up to 24 hours before the flight, for a fee of $30 upwards per segment (dependent on availability). Frontier Airlines doesn’t sell priority boarding separately, but instead offers passengers a bundle of add-ons at the time of booking called The Works, costing from $19 per flight.

2024 is set to be a game changer in the world of hotels, with new properties opening across the world that promise to be environmentally sustainable, aesthetically stunning, and culturally enriching. From a luxe new chimpanzee and gorilla ecotourism lodge in Uganda to a private island resort in Greece, these are seven of the most anticipated new hotels slated to open in 2024.

Fairmont Breakers – Long Beach, California

An iconic mainstay of this Southern California beach city, the historic Breakers Hotel is finally slated to reopen in March 2024. In an account of Charles Lindburgh’s notable Long Beach landing in 1928, he told reporters he was able to spot the port city by the hotel’s famous electric sign, which will soon be relit. Stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant, and Clark Gable have all stayed at the historic property since it first opened in the 1920s. The hotel even survived an earthquake in 1933 before closing its doors in 1988. 

Restoration began 30 years later and has been ongoing since 2018. The revamped 185-room Fairmont Breakers hotel will feature the remodeled Sky Room, which was used for strategic planning during World War II, and its accompanying rooftop bar. Further additions will include an upscale Italian restaurant, a terrace pool, a two-story spa, and a live music venue. 

Kibale Lodge – Uganda

Since 1997, Volcanoes Safaris have been a pioneer of chimpanzee and gorilla ecotourism in Kibale National Park, located on the border of Uganda and Rwanda. In summer 2024, the tourism company will open a brand-new 150-acre lodge overlooking the Rwenzori Mountains (aka Mountains of the Moon).

Kibale Lodge will feature a spa, sauna, pool, eight deluxe rooms, and a villa surrounded by the lush vegetation, evergreen rainforest canopies, and grasslands of the stunning national park. With a population of about 1,500 chimpanzees, the park is one of the best places in Africa to view these amazing creatures. Fees from your stay go toward nonprofits promoting the conservation of the apes, reducing human-wildlife conflict, and restoring habitats.

Anantara Jaipur Hotel – Jaipur, India

Located in the bustling Indian city of Jaipur, the 150-room luxury Anantara Jaipur Hotel will be only a stone’s throw from UNESCO World Heritage-listed forts, Mughal palaces, bazaars, and temples. Offering spectacular views of this vibrant city from its rooftop bar, the hotel will also feature a signature Indian restaurant, luxury suites outfitted with traditional décor, private plunge pools, a grand banquet hall, and a luxe spa.

Mollie’s Manchester – Manchester, England

This cheeky British property will be housed inside the Old Granada Studios, an iconic recording studio in the northern English city of Manchester where the first television performance by the Beatles was broadcast on October 17, 1962. It’s also where British punk rock band the Sex Pistols had their TV debut in 1976. Mollie’s Hotel — dubbing itself as “budget-luxe” — will open in the refurbished office building and feature a pool and rooftop bar, as well as a two-story extension with an Americana-inspired diner and additional rooms. And rest assured, there will be plenty of neon signs and wood paneling to add to the artsy, funky vibe.

Graduate Princeton – Princeton, New Jersey

If you’ve ever wanted to live the Ivy League life, you’re in luck. Graduate Hotels — which operates a chain of boutique hotels in college towns — is launching its Princeton chapter in spring 2024. The 180-room property will approximately double the number of hotel rooms available in Princeton once it opens.

The Gothic-style building, originally constructed in 1918, will boast the Graduate chain’s signature maximalist interior with framed embroidered letterman jackets, trophies, and other objects with university insignia. The building once served as a dormitory and will soon also house a stunning library and 30-foot-long communal table. 

Gundari Resort – Folegandros, Greece

Only a lucky few travelers have explored the private Greek island of Folegandros, but it will soon be easier to join them. In May 2024, Gundari Resort will open its doors to guests, allowing them to experience a “raw and wild” escape, with breezy suites and villas perched on cliffs overlooking the deep blue Aegean Sea.

The hotel is on track to become a zero-waste hotel, with a no single-use plastic policy, solar-powered water heating system, and a fleet of mini EV vehicles and electric bikes for exploring. Guests looking to get away from it all can also engage in the culture and nature of the island through intimate cooking classes, food tours, boat trips to nearby islands and beaches, and snorkeling excursions to Folegandros’ many sea caves and reefs. 

Four Seasons Hotel Rabat at Kasr Al Bahr – Rabat, Morocco

The luxury Four Seasons hotel group is calling their latest Morocco addition — the Hotel Rabat at Kasr Al Bahr — a “palace by the sea,” where guests can experience what life was once like within this historic 12th-century walled city surrounding Kasbah des Oudaias fortress. Located on a hilltop overlooking the Atlantic, the property was built at the end of the 18th century as the summer residence of Sultan Moulay Slimane.

Featuring Moorish architecture with elaborate archways and domed roofs, the hotel (opening spring 2024) exudes Arabian grandeur and features restaurants serving Moroccan cuisine, a luxurious spa, and thoughtful amenities to embrace modernity while staying true to Morocco’s treasured past and traditions. 

On a typical flight, passengers encounter pilots, flight attendants, gate agents, and many other customer-facing employees who are integral to the success of any airline. But what many passengers don’t realize is that, behind the scenes, there’s one specific job that helps ensure a smooth and safe flight: the flight dispatcher. Their role requires communicating with dozens of other employees who are in the air, on the ground, and even at other airports. Curious about how these important individuals work behind the scenes to make air travel possible? Discover below why the role of a flight dispatcher is so important.

What Is a Flight Dispatcher?

Flight dispatchers work in an airline’s operations center, which is sometimes miles away from the airport. Their day starts long before the flights they’re assigned to begin taking off, when they begin creating flight plans. Once it’s time for departure, flight dispatchers act as liaisons between anyone who may need to communicate vital information at a moment’s notice. 

On a typical day, dispatchers relay details about weather conditions, unexpected airspace restrictions, and other potential snags that might affect arrival and departure times. The average domestic flight dispatcher is responsible for overseeing 30 to 45 flights during a nine-hour shift, with around 15 to 20 aircraft in the air at any given moment. When it comes to international flight dispatchers, that number drops to anywhere from four to 20 flights. With that in mind, let’s dive further into a flight dispatcher’s fascinating job duties.

Constant Communication

With all the moving parts that come with the hundreds of airplanes at each airline flying around the country every day, it’s critical that flight dispatchers maintain a constant line of communication between each department. That includes the crew on the airplane itself, the ground crew, FAA officials, air traffic control officers, and others. 

This line of communication stays open throughout the flight, as pilots may need to contact the flight dispatcher in the event of changing weather patterns, unexpected security concerns, mechanical problems with the aircraft, or any other issues that may affect their route. If such problems occur, the flight dispatcher will determine and relay the best course of action to the pilots should they need to adjust their plan and divert to another airport.

Crew Oversight

If a crew has exceeded the legal number of hours they can work in a given period, they may become fatigued — and that puts the safety of the passengers at risk. Thankfully, flight dispatchers oversee each crew to determine if they’re capable of flying that day. They monitor both pilots and flight attendants to ensure they’re ready to work. If for any reason they cannot perform their duties, then the flight dispatcher will delay departure until they can find a suitable replacement.

Flight Planning

Flight departure and arrival times and routings depend entirely on the flight plan created by the dispatcher. As in any job, some days are smoother than others, when conditions are favorable enough that the schedule runs mostly on time. But on other days, there are unexpected snags related to maintenance, security, and weather. In these instances, the flight dispatcher must develop a new schedule that allows planes to depart as safely and quickly as possible. As part of these flight plans, the dispatcher also must determine how much fuel each airplane needs to reach its destination and ensure that the plane is adequately fueled prior to departure.

When developing a flight plan, dispatchers must take into account the conditions at both the airport that the plane is departing from, as well as the city where it’s set to arrive. Once a plan has been created, the dispatcher will present it to the pilot for approval, though the pilot rarely makes changes. If a flight is delayed for any reason, the flight dispatcher will remain in constant communication with the crew on each airplane to determine if a later departure is possible — or if the flight will ultimately be canceled.

Weather Monitoring

As frequent travelers are all too aware, weather can have an adverse impact on flights, preventing them from reaching their destinations on time. When poor weather conditions are present along a planned flight route, it’s up to the flight dispatcher to determine if it’s safe to travel — and if it is, the best course of action. 

A flight can be impacted by heavy wind, thunderstorms, and a wide variety of other factors that are out of the airline’s control. Should any of these issues arise before departure, then the flight may be grounded by the dispatcher until the bad weather passes. Or if weather conditions change for the worse mid-flight, then the flight dispatcher may determine that it’s best to divert the airplane to another airport for a safe landing. Though it might be an inconvenience to passengers, the responsibility of flight dispatchers is making sure everyone arrives safely — and for them, it’s all in a day’s work.