Why is this flight taking such a long route?

[Steve Jobs]

So, browsing random flights on this Saturday Night, and found one flight from Russia to LA, takes such as long route, compared to just a straight approach.

It seems highly inefficient to me.

 

[Cosmic]

That's the most efficient route, actually.

What you're looking at there is a 2D map, rather than a 3D globe. When maps are created, they make a "projection," where they map points on the sphere that is the earth to points on the 2d map. When they do that, it creates a stretching effect. So, when you plot the most efficient route from one point on earth to another on a 2D map, it will look like a round about course, when in reality, it's actually a straight route.

TL;DR when you see the route on a 2D map, it looks weird because of the curvature of the earth. In reality, it's the shortest route.

You should see what a route from New York to Beijing looks like for example! It really doesn't make sense on a 2D map

 

[Mike30]

Got it! I was curious once about this. Thanks for the explanation Cosmack

 

[Page]

Looks normal to me to fly like what they always been doing. The earth is never flat and with timezone and whatnot it's still get there in good time. By looking at it it seems to be and fast route then rather going straight

 

[Jason76]

Right, for instance, a flight from Detroit to Tokyo, a common daily route, goes thru Alaska. However, the flat-earthers just cannot explain it.

 

[Mike30]

lol, forgive me. I am left-handed and sometimes flat minded lol 🙂

 

[Jason76]

It's taking a long route cause the pilot is intoxicated.

 

[Mike30]

Wondering if they don't get frozen while passing through Alaska.

 

[Cosmic]

Right, for instance, a flight from Detroit to Tokyo, a common daily route, goes thru Alaska. However, the flat-earthers just cannot explain it.

Maybe the round-earth conspiracy elite has the planes fly inefficient circular routes in order to keep the masses believing that the earth is round, when it is in fact truly flat 😀