Everyone knows how annoying and stressful it can be when there is a problem with your flight. And the annoyance is 10x worse when the airline refuses to tell you what’s really wrong.

It is not unheard of for a plane full of passengers to get stalled on the runway for hours, while flight attendants and crew keep affirming: “Only 30 more minutes!” Whether it is the weather that’s bad, or there was a mechanical malfunction, or if you were forced to miss your connecting flight, airline employees can be downright Kafka-esque in their tight-lipped withholding of information.

Here are some basic principles to consider before even arriving at the airport:

• When you can, always try to book non-stop flights. The more connections you have, the higher the chances are that you will run into trouble.
  
• Posted flight times are often estimations at best. So be mentally and emotionally prepared for delays.
  
• Check the weather forecast. If there is a storm brewing on your flight route, you can almost certainly expect delays.

If you are at the airport and stuck dealing with a last-minute change, try working multiple avenues at once. While you are standing in line to talk to a ticketing agent, you should also be on the airline’s app, scrolling through “plan B” itineraries. Arm yourself with as much knowledge about your options as you can!