Results: Today's more fuel-efficient planes can take you to more places in less time. Some of these routes are well travelled but some weird routes go to places few of us would expect. Here are four of them.
In the 1990s we flew from Edmonton AB to Glasgow Scotland via Iceland in late summer on a Boeing 737, a flight I never thought I would take on a twin jet engine plane. Yet there are twin jets that can now fly from Sydney Australia to London England non stop, a flight time of 22 hours and 30 minutes. Long distances are not unusual these days but the route taken by some flights can be. Here are some examples of flight routes you might not have heard of.
1.
1.
This first one is from Providence, Rhode Island to Praia, Cape Verde, a remote island hundreds of miles off the African coast. This flight serves New England's 90,000 Cape Verde immigrants, who have been a presence in New England since the early 19th century. Cape Verde is an amazing destination to visit if you like beaches, food, music, and celebrating Carnival. Is this a trip you would like to make? (But first you have to get to Providence.)
Yes
21%
•
440 votes
No
38%
•
795 votes
Undecided
19%
•
389 votes
Not Applicable
23%
•
476 votes
- If we go down the life raft under the seat isn't going to help much.
- Not for me
- A pretty boring view
2.
2.
f you've hopped over to Cape Verde, why not continue over to Recife Brazil? It's only a short four hours away. In the early years of transatlantic flights, fuel and distance posed a problem to flight paths. Airlines flew through Recife across to Africa and then up to Europe, to minimize the distance between refuelling points. There is still enough of a cultural link to support direct passenger flights. Recife is renowned for its beach party life and its Carnaval celebration in nearby Olinda. Would you add this one to your bucket list?
Yes
17%
•
358 votes
No
43%
•
908 votes
Undecided
17%
•
362 votes
Not Applicable
22%
•
472 votes
- Rio and Buenos Aires
- California, Mexico
- Yes
3.
3.
If you are now brave enough to take a long flight over the ocean, you might (or might not) consider this more rustic flight from Oxford, UK to Ascension in the mid Atlantic to refuel and then on to the Falkland Islands. This flight is so obscure you can't book it via traditional portals: it must be arranged through the Falkland Islands government office in London. Your plane is an RAF Airbus 340. At least it has 4 jet engines. It's hard to imagine a more remote place than Ascension Island. It's over 1,000 miles from the mainland and other people. If you want to get away from someone, this may be your place. Bonus, it has great beaches. Once you get to Port Stanley on the Falklands it has a really good pub. Would you ever take a trip like this?
Yes
16%
•
326 votes
No
44%
•
921 votes
Undecided
18%
•
388 votes
Not Applicable
22%
•
465 votes
- Walking distance.
- Europe
- To the closest Beer Store: 5 km. from home
4.
4.
This last one (for today) is one that is quite popular with people from Germany. It is from Frankfurt Germany to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. Germans really like the wilderness of the Canadian north and enough of them make this flight on Condor Flugdienst to make it a viable one. Is this a destination you would ever consider?
Yes
20%
•
415 votes
No
39%
•
823 votes
Undecided
19%
•
389 votes
Not Applicable
23%
•
473 votes
- Greenland
- Fort St John, B.C.
- It wasn't on time
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