All articles tagged with #flight times
Flying against Earth's rotation does not speed up flights because objects and atmosphere move with the Earth due to inertia and frictional forces, and jet streams—fast-moving air currents influenced by Earth's rotation—affect flight durations more than the Earth's spin itself.
Airlines are increasingly padding flight times to improve on-time arrival statistics, leading to the perception that flights are taking longer than necessary. This practice is intended to account for potential delays and improve customer satisfaction by meeting or exceeding scheduled arrival times.
A study published in Nature Climate Change reveals that as climate change progresses, the fastest upper-level jet stream winds will accelerate by about 2% for every degree Celsius of warming, surpassing the average wind speed by 2.5 times. This increase in wind speed is expected to lead to decreased flight times, increased clear-air turbulence, and a potential rise in severe weather events. The research highlights the need for policymakers to address the impact of climate change on jet streams and plan for the future.