via anchorage

[tali122]

excuse my ignorance but the term "via anchorage" is this a "short cut "around the back for airline flights? ie surely it would be quicker to get from uk to australia this way?

[Buenchico]

Anchorage certainly doesn't lie on the most direct route between the UK and Australia.

An aircraft taking off from London and heading for Alaska (by the most direct route) should fly roughly NNW. An aircraft leaving London, on the most direct track for Australia, should fly roughly NE to get to Sydney.

To check the most direct route and distance for a particular journey, you need an azimuthal-equidistant projection ('great circle') map, centred on the departure city. Here's one based on London:
http://www.geocities.com/rf-man/london.gif

Chris

[jno]

I think (but haven't checked) that the shortest route to Australia may be via Tokyo. I doubt that Anchorage is on the way, though.

[dzug]

Bear in mind that if a flight did go that way and land in Anchorage all the passengers would have to go through US immigration (many of them having to get a visa) before it could continue. It would turn an hour's stop into two or three. Unlike Singapore, Kuala Lumpar, etc, there'd be precious little intermediate traffic to make it worth while.

[JoolsTwo]

I think the term "via ????" is just to let you know which route is being taken. I think most fights to Australia go "Via Singapore" or perhaps "Via Los Angeles" so "Via Anchorage" Is just letting you know that they are going that way. It seems the long way round to me though.

[kempie]

Distances Heathrow - Sydney:

(direct non-stop) ~10,560 miles
via Singapore ~10,660 miles
via Los Angeles ~12,930 miles
via Anchorage ~11,810 miles