Long Flight Routes
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Why do flights from the USA to Australia take longer routes across multiple countries instead of taking a more direct route in the opposite direction?
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When flying from the USA to Australia, flights often take longer routes that go across multiple countries instead of going the other way round. There are several reasons for this routing choice, including efficiency, safety, and weather conditions.
Efficient Routing:
- Curved Routes: Airlines prefer to travel along curved routes over land rather than straight paths over the ocean [2]. These curved routes are more cost-effective and provide shorter travel times and greater fuel efficiency [2]. For example, flights from the USA to Japan may take a curving route across Canada and Alaska, which offers the shortest travel time and fuel efficiency [2].
Safety and Security:
- Emergency Landings: The Pacific Ocean is vast and remote, with many small islands lacking airstrips or airports [2]. In the event of an emergency, it would be difficult to find a suitable place to land [2]. Airlines prefer to fly over land where there are more options for emergency landings and access to airports with emergency services [2].
- Search and Rescue: If a plane were to go down in the Pacific Ocean, it would be challenging to locate the wreckage and conduct a search and rescue operation [2].
Weather Conditions:
- Stormy Weather: Storms, including thunderstorms, are more common over the ocean than on land [1]. Flying over the Pacific Ocean exposes aircraft to hazardous weather conditions, such as thunderstorms, which can be extremely dangerous to flights [1].
- Jet Streams: Jet streams are high-altitude air currents that circle the Earth, and they often move from west to east [2]. Flying against a jet stream can result in extreme turbulence and potential damage to the aircraft [2]. Most flights in the Pacific region follow the course of the Polar Jet Stream, which travels overland through Canada and Alaska [2].
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