The Federal Aviation Regulations were created with one principal goal in mind: to protect the traveling public. Commercial aircraft have strict rules and regulations about operating in or near bad weather. Planes can't take off unless the visibility is at least 1/2 mile.

Airlines are cautious because bad weather can cause turbulence — which causes 46 percent of all passenger in-flight injuries. In addition, two-thirds of turbulence-related accidents occur at or above 30,000 feet. Since 1985, airlines have paid out more than 37 million dollars in personal injury lawsuits — no wonder they're cautious.

The spring and summer months typically are the worst for bad weather delays. These months bring hot humid air, which produce dangerous thunderstorms, severe lightning and turbulence. Air Traffic Control may stop traffic for hours due to bad weather. These delays can affect flights hundreds of miles away, since one aircraft might fly up to six different flights in a 24-hour period.

Bad weather also wreaks havoc on departures. Have you ever wondered why your aircraft is sitting at the end of the runway waiting for departure while other aircraft are departing? During departure, aircraft are generally routed to a specific navigation point. If thunderstorms or other bad weather are lingering around this point, elsewhere along the route of flight, or even at the destination, air traffic control will not permit departures to the affected area.

Delays cost airlines more than $6.2 billion in operating expenses in 2004. In 2005, the national average of airline delays due to bad weather was almost 69 percent (nearly 310,000 delays), according to the Federal Aviation Administration.