Yes, I had a long conversation jumpseating on an HKG-LAX Cathay flight (before I switched to UA) in 1997. It's definitely due to tail winds. The polar route (I think there's Polar 1, 2, 3... or whatever) is shorter distance-wise due to the curvature of the Earth I think, but sometimes, esp. in winter eastbound flights have 100-150 kt tailwinds at altitude. I have flown on flights were the ground speed was nearly 700 mph eastbound.

On that Cathay flight we took a very southerly route just 400 miles north of Hawaii actually.

Further distance, but tailwinds made up for it.

*HighFlyah*

P.S. Monitoring the past few days' ORD-LHR flights, all of them have been at least 30 mins early, sometimes almost an hour early arriving into LHR. Strong tailwinds I suspect.

------------------
When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.

- Leonardo da Vinci

[This message has been edited by *HighFlyah* (edited 12-07-2001).]