After 12 years as a commercial pilot, I've seen how flight delays cascade through an entire network, and I'm wondering if airlines are doing enough to prevent them. A single late arrival at a hub like Chicago O'Hare can ripple into 40+ missed connections, yet carriers still schedule turnaround times as tight as 30 minutes. Is the current system of buffer times and crew scheduling genuinely optimized, or are airlines prioritizing on-time statistics over passenger experience? I'd love to hear from others in the industry or frequent flyers who've noticed patterns in delay management.