As airliner performance evolves, so do international regulations. Pilots flying certain types of twin-engined aircraft, such as Boeing's new Dreamliner, will now be allowed to fly over the North Pole. The result: significant savings in journey time, fuel consumption and even ticket price. Until now, the regulations required the proximity of a suitable landing place within a maximum of 3 hours, in the event of difficulties during the flight. According to the American authorities, this precaution can now be relaxed, thanks to technical progress in the aviation sector. This means that airlines will be able to fly certain routes in one go, which until now would have required a stopover, paving the way for the launch of new destinations. The Fiji Islands, for example, will be 18 hours closer to London thanks to the elimination of the stopover in Seoul, and a flight to Tahiti will only take 17 hours, compared with 23 at present.
The North Pole: a shortcut for long-haul flights
Long-haul flights using certain types of aircraft will now be able to fly over the North Pole: a shortcut now authorised by the US authorities, which will significantly reduce the number of flights required.
