will be late/ will be delayed

[optimistic pessimist]

Dear all,

When referring to public transportaion, is it fine to say "flight 403 will be late due to snowstorm"?

I think "be delayed" is more common and sounds familiar. Also, I know there are more number of "be delayed" in a google search.

However, I'm not still sure if "be late" is wrong or okay.

Thank you!

OP

 

[bhaisahab]

Dear all,

When referring to public transportaion, is it fine to say "flight 403 will be late due to a/the snowstorm"?

I think "be delayed" is more common and sounds familiar. Also, I know there are more number of "be delayed" in a google search.

However, I'm not still sure if "be late" is wrong or okay.

Thank you!

OP

It's fine.

 

[emsr2d2]

It's true that "delayed" is more common but there is nothing wrong with "late". Bear in mind that you would need to be specific about what it is about Flight 403 which will be delayed. Is it the departure or the arrival?

Flight 403 departed on time but its arrival is delayed due to a snowstorm.
The departure of Flight 403 was/will be delayed due to a snowstorm.
Flight 403 departed late due to a snowstorm but it will arrive on time because of a tailwind.
Flight 403 departed on time but its arrival is/will be delayed due to a snowstorm/headwind.

Note that at airports (in the UK), you tend to hear the announcement "Easyjet regret to announce a delay to flight EZY123" - airlines rarely give a reason. In fact, both RyanAir and Easyjet have one of the best (by that, I mean "poor") excuses once you're on board and waiting for take-off. "We're sorry for the delay to the departure of this flight. This was caused by the late arrival of the incoming aircraft"! You can only assume that the people on that "incoming aircraft" were probably told the same thing when they took off late and so on and so on.