Yup, and you can be very grateful for their decisions in that period as well. The most hairy flight I’ve been on involved trying to land in Kampala in the midst of a terrible thunderstorm. Turbulence like I’d never felt before (after hundreds of flights). A hushed stillness in the cabin, people grabbing their loved ones. From the amount of time you’ve been descending and the feeling of the flight you know you’re on final approach. Then wham, it feels like the plane fell out of the sky, and it’s still black out the window. A moment more calm. You look around; you thought what you felt before was the worst turbulence ever but now you’re surprised the plane is in one piece still. Then the pilot aborts approach at full throttle and you’re pushed back in your seat with unusual force.

A couple of minutes pass. You’re still ascending. The pilot announces you’ll circle for another 20 minutes waiting for the storm to pass, and if not they will have to return to the port of departure.