On a recent transatlantic we were nearly an hour late leaving Heathrow. The captain told us that to try to make up time he would fly faster than normal to make up the time.

Is this even possible? I always assumed transatlantic flights were a procession of planes following one after the other, unable to 'overtake' because of the lack of radar, and hence everyone flying at the same speed.

Anyway whatever happened we were only ten minutes late arriving in IAD.