If you fly with any regularity, you’ve undoubtedly heard the word “priority” in relation to air travel.
- Priority Pass
- Priority check-in
- Priority lanes
- Priority boarding
- Priority seating
But one of our readers recently sent us an email and asked about the details regarding what a “priority flight” was. They said they were on a flight and the pilot said over the loudspeaker that they were a “priority flight.”
As far as our reader was concerned, the flight was typical. But they were still curious about the “priority flight” designation.
What is a priority flight?
Any flight can be identified as a priority flight. It’s a flight that, because of a certain reason, takes priority over other flights, which means it will (hopefully) get to skip the line of planes waiting to take off and be allowed by ATC (air traffic control) to take off before them.
Reasons for a flight becoming a priority flight can run the gamut:
- The flight is scheduled to have a very quick turnaround when it lands
- A passenger is a medevac, on their way to surgery
- The flight has cabin crew who may time out if they don’t get off the ground ASAP
- The plane is transporting the remains of someone in the armed services, and their loved ones, as well as their siblings in arms, will be waiting for their arrival
- It has a plethora of passengers who need to make tight connections
- it has a plethora of “higher end” (read” VIP/elite) passengers who the airline doesn’t want to anger
- Someone on the flight is in possession of a cooler with a donated organ or tissues. Donation organs/tissues only have viability for a certain amount of time
PC: A-1 Medical Integration
Most times, being on a priority flight will be like the experience our reader had; it doesn’t directly affect them (save that it will take off on time). But if you’re a passenger flying on their way to life-altering surgery, or who has that tight connection, or are the family member of that deceased soldier, or are the one waiting for that kidney, heart, etc., you’re undoubtedly grateful for the possibility of that flight being a priority flight.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
