just curious..i figure going north is quicker, but then you have to fly over Russia, and they aren't always very hospitable.
2007-08-29 10:19:43 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Air Travel
OK, I have all kinds of conflicting answers here and I have no way of telling who is right, so I guess I have to put it to a vote.
BTW, I am aware that planes do fly over russia, the hostility refers to the Korean 747 that was shot down many years ago...i figure they must be stingy with their airspace.
2007-08-31 04:42:04 · update #1
They will usually fly the Great Circle route as it is called on Westbound flights, as the one you describe is... they take advantage of the decreasing cross-section of the earth at the poles...
On eastbound flights, they will often take advantage of the jet stream winds and shoot it straight across... its all about what the Flight Computer says will be quicker and more efficient...
2007-08-29 16:22:14 · answer #1 · answered by ALOPILOT 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They do fly west, but also north and most airlines do go over Russia on routes to China from the east coast. I'm lookng at an airline route map right now, and most airlines fly quite a ways over Siberia and well into Russian airpspace on their way to Beijing and even Hong Kong from New York. I don't know where you get the idea that they aren't "hospitable," hundreds of flights a day (if not thousands) travel over Russia without a problem. If you don't want to go over Russia you can take a domestic flight to the west coast and then to China, most of those routes travel much further south.
2007-08-29 19:50:57 · answer #2 · answered by Gerald J 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You have to fly through the west due to the extreme cold of the north pole. Airplanes can't fly in such a condition.
2007-08-29 19:33:18 · answer #3 · answered by SaTa D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They will fly west. The only airline right now that fly north over the north pole would Singapore airlines. EWR to singapore
2007-08-29 22:11:49 · answer #4 · answered by Chino 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My friend flew from Chicago to Beijing and he flew over the Pacific.
2007-08-29 17:26:59 · answer #5 · answered by First Lady 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually they will fly west.
2007-08-29 17:27:08 · answer #6 · answered by BTRFLI 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they go west young man
2007-08-29 17:37:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Over the Pacific.
You can even look it up on priceline.com.
It will give you and idea that it does.
2007-08-31 20:19:32 · answer #8 · answered by stephany 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋