Routes
METAR and TAF: the weather reports behind flight planning
METAR reports observed airport weather; TAF describes expected conditions over a defined forecast period.
Desk
Routes
Traffic rights, network planning, connectivity and the economics behind international air routes.
Routes
How air service agreements shape international routes
A bilateral agreement can define which airlines may fly between two states and under what rights.
Routes
Why the shortest line is rarely the route an aircraft flies
A great-circle track is a baseline, but winds, weather, airspace, performance and traffic constraints shape the filed route.
Routes
Seasonal routes: how airlines decide when a market is ready
Demand forecasts, aircraft time, airport slots and local sales determine whether a route flies all year, for one season or only a few weeks.
Routes
Fifth-freedom routes: why one flight can connect three countries
These unusual services let an airline carry local passengers between two foreign countries, adding choice and complexity to a market.
Routes
Why a route succeeds or fails
Beyond the map
Demand in both directions, seasonality, connecting traffic, bilateral rights, airport slots and aircraft availability all shape a new route. A short flight can be difficult to schedule if it misses a hub connection bank.
A schedule is a network promise
Frequency and arrival time can be as important as distance. When comparing route announcements, distinguish a filed schedule from a service that has started and check whether the airline or a partner operates it.