Imagine you’re on a flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo, and you notice on your in-flight chart that your aircraft is curving around Alaska, not a direct route over the Pacific Ocean. You may have ever wondered why. Let’s find out why planes don’t fly over Earth’s largest ocean, even with modern technology.
Fuel Efficiency: The Great Pacific Fuel Gamble
The Pacific Ocean spans 155 million square kilometres wider than all of Earth’s landmasses combined. Crossing it nonstop would require:
- 20-30% more fuel than on curved routes.
- No mid-ocean refuelling options (unlike Atlantic Ocean routes with islands/Air Force bases)
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner uses ~5,000 litres per hour. LA to Tokyo non-stop (8,800 km) is 10+ hours over open water. The route via Alaska cuts travel time to 9.5 hours with land close by in case of emergencies.
The Earth Isn’t Flat: Why Curved Routes Win
There’s no lie curved paths are occasionally shorter. Since Earth is spherical, a straight flight from LA to Tokyo is 400 km longer than a curve via Alaska.
How It Works:
- Airplanes fly on Great Circle Routes (shortest path on a sphere)
- New York to Hong Kong goes over the top of the Arctic Ocean, 1,200 km shorter than a Pacific Ocean route.
Emergency Landings: The 180-Minute Rule
Commercial aircraft follow ETOPS standards (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards):
- A Boeing 787 has a 330-minute flight range from a local airport.
- So generally speaking, this is below the scale of the Pacific.
Real-life scenario: One 2024 Southwest flight (not in the Pacific) lost 400 ft in flight due to engine failure. Over the Pacific, these emergencies can mean 4+ hours to land.
Turbulence & Weather: The Pacific’s Mood Swings
The Atlantic Ocean has hurricanes, but the Pacific Ocean is known for:
- Ramping severe typhoons ( +25% frequency vs Atlantic hurricanes)
- Clear Air Turbulence (imperceptible bumps that are responsible for 58% of all turbulence.
- If a plane does not pass over the Jet Stream, it could take flights hours longer.
The Bermuda Triangle Myth
Unlike the Pacific Ocean, there are routine flights through the Bermuda Triangle. Why? It’s smaller (500,000 sq mi vs 63.8 million sq mi for the Pacific) and has emergency airports like Bermuda and Puerto Rico.
What About the Longest Flights?
And the world’s longest direct flights (Singapore-NYC) still bypass the Pacific:
- Utilize ultra-long-range planes (Airbus A350-900ULR)
- Follow along the northern paths near the land.
- Carry extra personnel for 19-hour journeys.
Pacific vs. Atlantic: Why One’s Safer
| Factor | Pacific Ocean | Atlantic Ocean |
| Avg. Flight Altitude | 35,000 ft | 35,000 ft |
| Emergency Airports | Few (Alaska, Hawaii) | Many (Iceland, Azores) |
| Turbulence Risk | High | Moderate |
| Common Routes | Coastal arcs | Direct (NYC-London) |
Can Future Technology Make a Difference?
- Hydrogen aircraft (like Airbus ZEROe) will enable non-stop Pacific crossings as early as 2040.
- Extended ETOPS approvals allowing 400+ minutes from land.
- AI weather forecasting for storm avoidance.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do any planes fly over the Pacific?
Yes, but only on routes like Sydney-LA where curved paths aren’t feasible. These flights are equipped with more fuel and life rafts.
Is flying over the ocean safe?
Modern jets are equipped with satcoms and can glide (in an engine-out scenario) more than 160 km. The ocean avoidance is more about efficiency than safety.
Why do aeroplanes fly at 35,000 feet?
It strikes a balance between thin-air fuel economy (aircraft in this class cruise along at 900 km/h) and cabin pressure that can be breathed.
