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Transportation Industry

Carriers Use Polar Routes To Shorten Path to Asia

World Airline News, Feb 19, 1999

Russia is currently pushing ahead with plans to open new polar air routes that could slash flying time for airlines and flying costs for consumers.

Given special permission to fly over Russian air space, some carriers including Canadian Airlines have operated polar routes since the 1950s. However, if Russia frees up more routes, American, European and Asian carriers could benefit from a possible decrease in flying time to points in Asia.

"The further north you go, the less wind you have to encounter," said Karen Berkhout of Canadian. "These provide great circle routes into Japan and China."

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According to Yuri Averyanov, head of Russian air control, the key to opening these routes for regular commercial use is the creation of a reliable air traffic control system for the region. "Currently, there are ground-based air traffic control posts serving the area, but there numbers are few and radio communications are often poor. The best option for polar flights would be a satellite-based traffic control similar to satellite communications technology used by test flights over the North Pole," he said.

Transaero Airlines, the only major Russian airline to begin operations following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, flew its first non-stop test flight via the North Pole to Toronto July 3, 1998. Since July, Transaero has operated 12 flights out of Siberia and the Russian Far East over the pole. Once air traffic control and other logistical plans are decided upon, the airline hopes to offer regular commercial service - via the top of the world - sometime early in the next decade.

On July 4, Cathay Pacific flew the first non-stop New York to Hong Kong route. "The flight took 15 hours and 30 minutes, shaving off five hours of flight time and saving a lot of fuel," said Gus Whitcomb of Cathay. "We're hoping to implement the service on a full-time basis, but no date has been set yet."

United Airlines [UAL] flew a test demonstration flight in late January connecting Chicago and Hong Kong via the North Pole. "The carrier had to get permission from Russia, Mongolia and China to fly," said Joe Hopkins of United. "The flight took 15 hours and 55 minutes, and saved 20 to 25 minutes off the normal flight through Asia."

Hopkins noted that optimum savings occur when a carrier flies directly over the pole, but that wind plays a major factor in fuel efficiency and time savings. The carrier hopes to start direct non- stop polar service from an undecided U.S. city to New Delhi sometime this year.

As the new century approaches, the benefits of polar air travel will probably become a reality for many business and pleasure travelers alike. "Clearly if you reduce the number of hours to fly, you'll reduce the cost to the consumers," said Dr. John Huston, professor of economics at San Antonio-based Trinity College. >>Canadian, 403/294-6821, Hopkins, 847/700-5770, Whitcomb, 310/414- 6409, Huston, 210/736-8471<<

Transportation Industry

Carriers Use Polar Routes To Shorten Path to Asia

World Airline News, Feb 19, 1999

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