Definition
An FAA traffic management code indicating that a flight is being held or delayed before or during arrival, typically due to congestion, weather, or capacity constraints at the destination airport.
Plain English
A short code air traffic managers use to mark that a flight is being delayed on its way into an airport.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA and air traffic text products that describe delays at airports or along routes.
Derivation
A shortened form of 'Arrival Delay,' compressed to four letters for use in traffic management messages and data systems where space is limited.
Why Pilots Care
Affects fuel reserves, crew duty limits, gate availability, and passenger connections.
Intuition Check
ADLY does not tell you to delay your own flight by itself. It reports that arrivals at a place are being delayed or are expected to be delayed.
Example Sentence 1
The dispatcher noted an ADLY into the destination and added extra fuel for possible holding.
Example Sentence 2
Airports use ADLY reports to adjust arrival rates and reduce airborne holding.