Circling the airport

You've done the work. It's gone up to the next level for consideration. And the wait begins.

This is the project equivalent of a holding pattern. The project is circling, turning and going around, awaiting instructions from the tower.

What's going on down there? If they didn't want us to land this puppy, why did they not tell us before we took off?

Meanwhile, onboard, the customers are getting frustrated or angry, the staff are getting increasingly tired, and the project is running out of fuel. We hope it doesn't crash and burn (metaphorically).

Circling the airport is annoying when you can see the city twinkling ahead in the dark, the strip of lights that show the destination, and you veer off for one more round.