The busiest air route in the world 1:16
(CNN) -
If you
have ever played with route maps aboard a plane or destinations have consulted on the website of an airline, everything seems very simple.
To get from A to B, simply climb over 9,000 meters high and take the most direct route through a clear and empty air, right?
The reality, of course, is a bit more complicated.
Route planning depends on a number of factors such as climate, geopolitics, which charges a country overfly their territory and even the length of the track.
Even the maps rear seats give you full information: would have to be updated in real-time just to keep up with the speed of the wind variables and political disputes.
A screen on the seat of an Air India flight.
Credit: Nicolas Economou / NurPhotoGetty Images
100 years of roadmaps
Route maps airline official first appeared in the 1920s, in the early days of commercial aviation.
The aim was to use as a marketing tool rather than geographical accuracy.
Flying was much more expensive in the early decades of passenger service.
In the early 50s, the average round trip back to the US cost less than 5% of the average annual income (about $ 2,000 in today's world).
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It was not until the adoption of the Law of the Airline Deregulation 1978 that US airfares ceased to be set by the federal government, which laid the groundwork for greater competition and much lower prices.
So, to attract higher-income classes, the first route maps are elaborately decorated, with emphasis on cultivating the spirit of adventure by presenting new and exotic places.
Although maps of the transcontinental railroads and mass transit systems were used since the late nineteenth century were more functional than vivid, while airlines like Pan Am and KLM using multiple colors and themes to show their presence constantly expanding.
Without showing scales or explanation, merely connect the airport with exaggerated straight lines between the airports of origin of the airline, better known as hubs, and its route network.
The objective of the maps, called aerial maps of roads by American Airlines in the 1930s, was that the graphics were easy to understand, attracted the attention of the public, they serve as fun memories and even help passengers to track new destinations.
physical map of "Pan American" with red lines drawn international airline routes, mapping of John Brown for Pan Am, 1968. Credit: Potter and Potter Auctions / Gado / Archive Photos / Getty Images
The era of the jet
Although the first aircraft with a jet engine in the world, the Heinkel He 178, took off in 1939, it was years before the first commercial aircraft to fly paying passengers on a regular basis.
On May 2, 1952, the British Overseas Aircraft Corporation (BOAC) with the De Havilland Comet 1A 44 seats, flew between London and Johannesburg, inspiring aircraft manufacturers in Europe, North America and the former Soviet Union to develop their own prototypes.
As new aircraft were able to fly longer distances at higher altitudes and less need for fuel recharging at intermediate stops, also the airlines continued to expand its reach worldwide, expand through the newly independent countries of Africa and Asia, as well as the growing tourist and business centers in the traditional markets of Europe and North America aviation.
The Heinkel He 179 was the first aircraft with jet engine of the world and was used by the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) during the Second World War.
Credit: APIC / Hulton Archive / Getty Images
Geopolitics
However, connecting two points goes beyond having the right aircraft.
And sometimes it's politically expedient that airlines refrain from explaining why their route maps can be in a certain way.
Two specific examples, the A that of Israel and China Airlines of Taiwan, have had to avoid the airspace of certain neighbors for decades.
In 1948, the same year Israel was founded, the national airline The A's was created as a source of pride and hope for the nascent state.
Although trade routes initials, Rome and Paris, were comparatively simple to navigate, once Israel established diplomatic relations with South Africa, Thailand and India, saying that establish routes to Johannesburg, Bangkok and Beijing was a mere matter of selling tickets it is staying short.
When the British administration in Sudan began to give way to the local Arab government in the mid-1950s, according to Maurice Wickstead, of theaviationhistorian.com, "This necessitated a major detour to avoid hostile nations bordering the Red Sea."
The detour through Turkey, Iran, Oman, Somalia and Kenya, "added about 3,800 kilometers to the straight line distance and five hours of flight," says Wickstead.
"This situation is not rectified until Israel took control of the Sinai Peninsula" and could make direct flights to Ethiopia.
Things have also improved in September 2020, when Saudi Arabia began allowing Israeli planes flying over its territory, not only for its new routes to the UAE, but also occasionally for flights from East Asia.
As noted Ian Petchenik of Flightradar24, "route changes more geopolitical consequences in the Middle East in 2020 also carry the most practical consequences for airlines, the save time and fuel."
May 2, 1952: Passengers bound for Johannesburg board a plane De Havilland Comet of British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) at the airport in London, on the inaugural flight of the first regular jet aircraft of the world.
Credit: Monty Fresco / Picture Post / Getty Images
Meanwhile, Taiwanese airlines have their own problems when charting their flight paths daily.
As China's economy has grown exponentially since the late 1970s, Beijing feels able to show their increasingly technological military capabilities, especially in the province of Fujian, directly across the Taiwan Strait.
In addition, Taiwan, also known as the Republic of China, was expelled from the United Nations in 1971, at the same time as China or the People's Republic of China, took place.
According to Transparency Initiative Maritime Asia, "the exclusion of Taiwan from the international body means that no formal way to file complaints against the actions of aviation of China".
Of course, China has been more open to talks with Taiwan to increase flights between the two when Taiwanese leaders support Beijing.
Even so, despite the regional aggression, airlines take flying between Taiwan and China under a charter since 2005, and regular flights since 2008. (Before, to go between mainland China and Taiwan had to go through another airport, probably Hong Kong or Macao).
However, things get complicated when China Airlines and Eva Air, both based in Taiwan, leave for Europe.
China's airspace
Although the official documentation is difficult to achieve, as a rule, Taiwanese airlines can not use the airspace of China.
One possible reason is that China's military control most of the continental airspace, not to mention that domestic airlines have had a huge domestic growth in the last twenty years, further saturating the heavens.
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However, Taiwanese flights returning from Europe has allowed them to fly over the airspace of southern China;
In fact, the three European airlines flying to Taipei: Turkish Airlines, KLM and Air France can also use only the airspace of southern China, whether flying to / from Europe.
In conclusion, it is quite easy to visit the website of an airline, view the route map and dream of your next vacation.
However, it is possible that so far have not thought about the process that must pass the daily flights worldwide, to name a few: national borders, storms, war zones, pandemics and temporary restrictions of airspace, as in the case of visits of world championships and major sports leaders.
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