Climate change predicted to lengthen transatlantic travel times

Among the many consequences of rising atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, is a change to the medium through which planes fly. An emerging area of research is the impact that these changes may have on the airline industry, with studies addressing aspects ranging from the impact of rising temperatures on aeroplane weight restrictions (Coffel and Horton 2015 Wea. Climate Soc. 7 94-102) to the impact of changing wind shears on the occurrence of clear air turbulence (Williams and Joshi 2014 Nat. Clim. Change 3 644-8). Now, a recent study by Paul Williams (2016 Environ. Res. Lett. 11 024008), assesses the impact that changing winds may have on the duration of transatlantic flights.