For business travelers, that can mean losing valuable time.
And airlines understand that.
Airlines Want Their Aircraft Flying
There is another important reason for these schedules: airplanes are extremely expensive assets.
A modern long-range aircraft such as a Boeing 787, Boeing 777, or Airbus A350 can cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
An aircraft sitting on the ground isn’t generating revenue.
Airlines therefore try to keep their planes moving whenever possible.
One common pattern is to operate a long overnight flight from North America to Europe, have the aircraft spend a relatively short period on the ground, and then send it back westward during the day.
This allows the same aircraft to generate revenue for much of the day instead of remaining parked for long periods.
The schedule isn’t designed only around passengers.
It is also designed around the airplane itself.
Time Zones Make Overnight Flights Especially Useful
The difference in time between North America and Europe plays a huge role.
When traveling eastward, passengers cross several time zones and effectively move forward in the clock.
A flight that leaves New York in the evening can arrive in London the following morning, even though the actual flight may only last several hours.
