Why Most Airplanes Avoid Flying Over The Pacific Ocean

It doesn't matter if you have boarded an airplane only once or a hundred times; that aerial view of Earth with clouds whisking by is never going to get old. With aviation making strides in safety, flying is one of the safest means of transport, getting you halfway around the world in but a few hours. Yet, there is still this vast stretch of ocean that airlines generally avoid-like the Pacific. The Pacific is the biggest and deepest ocean on Earth, and it roughly covers one-third of the Earth's surface. It stretches for more than 155 million square kilometers; with an average depth of 13,000 feet, Ferdinand Magellan named this body of water 'Pacific' in 1520, as its waters appeared calm at the time. However peaceful the name, the commercial airplanes will mostly avoid this big ocean. Why is that? Here are 4 reasons why aircraft avoid crossing the Pacific:

Why Most Airplanes Avoid Flying Over The Pacific Ocean

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1. Greatly Increased Fuel Requirement

To cross this enormous Pacific Ocean requires an enormous amount of fuel to operate. Long-range commercial flights are planned to have stops for refuelling on almost all routes, which is simply not a possibility in the middle of the largest ocean in the world.

2. Longer Flight Than An Arc

Initially, it may seem like the shortest route would be a straight-line flight across the Pacific. But a straight-line route may not always be the most cost-effective due to the fact that the earth is a sphere. The Sheffield School of Aeronautics argues that taking the curved route over land is oftentimes shorter and more fuel-efficient.

3. Turbulent Weather Risk

Weather conditions across the Pacific are quite often unpredictable; strong winds, storms, and turbulence are common. This fact directly means that extended flight times over open water further increase the chances of running into bad weather. Therefore, this complicates route planning for the airlines.

4. A Grossly Limited Number Of Alternate Emergency Landing Options

Airlines always look out for routes under four hours away from a coastal airport so as to guarantee emergency landings. Crossing the Pacific directly means that alternate landing sites for technical problems or medical emergencies become scarce.

The airlines have to comply with very stringent regulations like unbroken safety and operational efficiency in the planning of their flights across the Pacific Ocean.