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Old Sep 11, 2019, 12:56 pm
  #8  
GBM.flights
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: GVA,OPO
Programs: BD the last decent FFP
Posts: 1,856
My best guess, avoiding overflight fees in Canada. looking at the actual route over past days, common theme seems to be maximizing the distance flown within US airspace (see 5th of Sep).

If i'm reading the below correctly TP is exempt from any overflight fees within US airspace on that SFO flight

Fees in U.S.-Controlled Airspace

The FAA charges overflight fees to operators of aircraft that fly in U.S.-controlled airspace, but neither take off nor land in the United States.
As soon as they would cross over to Canadian airspace those fees pile-up.
For Canadian airspace there is a charge based on MTOW (basically per aircraft type) and distance See appendix C-2 and C-3 for examples.

Back to the actual route taken, on the 9th of Sep that jet stream must have paid off in less fuel burn vs the overflight fees.
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