CX BOS vs JFK routing
Jun 29, 2017, 9:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 1,727
CX BOS vs JFK routing
Quick question but I noticed that CX flies from BOS to HKG eastbound over the north pole through Asia whereas CX flies from JFK to HKG westbound usually over the north pole and Canada. Boston seems to be about 15.5 hours whereas JFK seems to be about 16.5 hours. Given the short flight time between the two cities could that really make such a difference? Seems like the JFK flight should fly eastbound as well. What's the logic behind this?
Also interesting a recent JFK flight went almost entirely over land...what would be the cause of this routing?
Also interesting a recent JFK flight went almost entirely over land...what would be the cause of this routing?
Jun 30, 2017, 1:47 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
Head/tail wind. To reduce fuel consumption, flight plans will utilize weather information.
Extremely strong headwind??
(If you take a visual look with the route, CX has services with many airports on this route. So a diversion will be easier.)
Jun 30, 2017, 2:34 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
This question seems to come up rather frequently. Nothing serious.
Factors influencing the routing are prevailing winds (.....they change....frequently), cost of over flying various countries, standard arrival / departure routes, shortest great circle distance, weather systems, and even delays. A good deal of this is determined/influenced by CX headquarters for each and every flight. There isn't much to read into it.
If you really want to see variability, go look at the west coast. You'll have odd days where a CX flight from SFO might go over Alaska, and on the exact same day a CX flight from LAX might go due west near Hawaii. This isn't often, but it happens. Or even a CX flight from SFO using the northern trek, while a UA plane taking off at nearly the identical time goes due west. At one point midflight these planes are thousands of miles away from each other despite starting and ending at the same places. Everything is being done with various cost benefit analyses in mind. And it isn't perfect science, especially related to the weather. Sometimes, the time difference can be quite extreme...like 45-60 minutes longer.
Factors influencing the routing are prevailing winds (.....they change....frequently), cost of over flying various countries, standard arrival / departure routes, shortest great circle distance, weather systems, and even delays. A good deal of this is determined/influenced by CX headquarters for each and every flight. There isn't much to read into it.
If you really want to see variability, go look at the west coast. You'll have odd days where a CX flight from SFO might go over Alaska, and on the exact same day a CX flight from LAX might go due west near Hawaii. This isn't often, but it happens. Or even a CX flight from SFO using the northern trek, while a UA plane taking off at nearly the identical time goes due west. At one point midflight these planes are thousands of miles away from each other despite starting and ending at the same places. Everything is being done with various cost benefit analyses in mind. And it isn't perfect science, especially related to the weather. Sometimes, the time difference can be quite extreme...like 45-60 minutes longer.
Last edited by QRC3288; Jun 30, 2017 at 2:42 am
Aug 23, 2021, 1:28 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: JFK/EWR/SFO/LAX/YYZ <-> HKG, PEK, CKG
Programs: CX, Hyatt
Posts: 155
Aug 23, 2021, 1:43 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 2,509
How noisy could it be at 10k feet? I hear planes taking off above me from PHL often and they are generally around 2,500 feet and it isn't that crazy loud to me. I'd imagine that if a plane at 10k is bothering you, turn on a fan and that should "drown out" what little noise you'll hear.