Delayed flights aren’t just annoying, they’re expensive. A new FAA-funded study finds that they cost passengers $16.7 billion per year. That’s a lot of bags of peanuts.

Unlike previous studies, this one also included related passenger costs like time spent waiting for flights and then having to dash to make new plans when flights get canceled.

The cost to airlines? Only $8.3 billion per year. So airlines overbook flights, under-maintain planes, and the costs get mainly shouldered by the passengers? Nice. No wonder the skies are feeling less friendly these days.

Study: Flight delays cost passengers $16.7 billion [AP] (Thanks to Jerry!)

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