Climate Change ‘Will Make Transatlantic Flights Longer’
Climate change will make transatlantic flights even LONGER, according to new research.
A study by the University of Reading revealed that increases of CO2 in the atmosphere will be responsible for accelerating the jet stream - a high altitude wind blowing from west to east across the ocean - and slowing down commercial flights across the pond.
Dr Paul Williams, who led the study, estimates that the delays will mean that aircrafts spend an extra 2,000 hours in the air every year.
Unsurprisingly, this is likely to cause some hefty price hikes for globetrotting passengers.
Dr Williams said: ‘The aviation industry is facing pressure to reduce its environmental impacts, but this study shows a new way in which aviation is itself susceptible to the effects of climate change.
‘The bad news for passengers is that westbound flights will be battling against stronger headwinds. The good news is that eastbound flights will be boosted by stronger tailwinds, but not enough to compensate for the longer westbound journeys. The net result is that round trip journeys will significantly lengthen.’
The study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, specifically claimed that average jet-stream winds between London and New York are predicted to become approximately 15% faster in winter, increasing from 48 to 55 mph, according to the research.
Dr Williams has concluded that flights from London to the Big Apple will become twice as likely to take more than seven hours than they are now.
