What Is a Go-Around? Why Pilots Abort a Landing and Why It Is Usually Routine

A go-around is simply an abandoned landing. The crew decides not to land on that approach, adds power, climbs to a safe altitude, and then flies another approach to the same runway or sometimes diverts elsewhere. Airline pilots train for it regularly in the simulator, and it is written into every airline's standard procedures.

Crucially, it is a decision that can be made at any point before touchdown, and in some situations shortly after. Pilots are taught that if the approach does not look right, they should go around. There is no penalty for doing so, and it is encouraged.

Why would a pilot go around?

There are many reasons, and most are about keeping a wide safety margin:

• The runway is not clear. Another aircraft, a vehicle or an animal is on or near the runway when it should not be. Air traffic control may also tell the crew to go around if the runway is not free in time.
• The approach is not stable. Airlines set strict rules about speed, descent rate and aircraft configuration by a certain height above the ground. If the aircraft is too fast, too high, too low or not properly set up, the standard answer is to go around and try again.
• Wind or weather. A sudden gust, a shift in wind direction, wind shear or a heavy rain shower close to the ground can make a landing unsafe at that moment.
• Air traffic control instructions. Controllers may ask for a go-around because of spacing with another aircraft ahead.
• The crew is not comfortable. If something does not look or feel right, such as a poorly aligned approach, they can always choose to go around.

None of these means the aircraft is in trouble. It means the crew saw something that did not meet the standard for a safe landing, and chose a better option.

What happens in the cockpit

The crew calls "go-around" and applies power. The pilots set the correct climb attitude, retract the landing gear and flaps in stages, and follow the published missed-approach path or the controller's instructions. They tell air traffic control what they are doing. Then they set up again for another approach, or hold and decide where to land.

Because these steps are rehearsed so often, they are carried out calmly and almost automatically.

What you feel in the cabin

The most noticeable thing is the sound and the sensation. The engines get louder, the aircraft climbs, and the seat presses against you. The cabin crew will usually already be seated. The captain typically makes a short announcement explaining why, once the aircraft is stable and climbing.

A second approach usually adds some minutes to the journey, depending on the airport and how busy the airspace is.

Does it mean something is wrong with the plane?

Normally, no. Most go-arounds are not caused by an aircraft fault. They are caused by conditions outside the aircraft: traffic, weather or a position that was not quite right. Some go-arounds can follow a technical issue, but the crew would then say so and follow the relevant procedures.

Are go-arounds common?

They happen regularly at busy airports, and they are an expected part of airline operations. Most flights never have one, and a typical passenger will rarely see one, but airlines plan for the possibility and track them as part of their safety programmes.

Why you may hear about them in the news

When a go-around is caught on camera or tracked on flight-tracking sites, it can attract attention, especially if the path looks dramatic. A video of an aircraft pulling up at the last moment makes a striking clip. In most cases, though, the story is that procedures worked as designed.

Where a go-around is linked to a serious event, such as a runway incursion, the official investigation looks into what happened. That is a separate matter from the routine go-arounds that happen safely every day.

Quick answers

• Is a go-around an emergency? No. It is a normal manoeuvre. An emergency would be declared separately with a Mayday or Pan-Pan call.
• Will we run out of fuel? Aircraft carry fuel reserves for exactly this kind of situation, including enough to go around and divert.
• Is it safe to go around late? Pilots are trained and aircraft are certified to do so, including at low height.
• What should I do as a passenger? Stay seated, keep your seat belt fastened and follow crew instructions.

The takeaway

A go-around is a pilot choosing a better option rather than pressing on with a landing that is not quite right. If you ever feel the engines roar on final approach, it is far more likely to be a sign of careful decision-making than of danger.