FAA Activates New Direct Plane Routes Ahead of Summer

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has activated 169 new routes along the East Coast ahead of what is expected to become a busy summer travel season.

The new and more direct routes should, according to the Administration, save 40,000 miles and 6,000 minutes of travel time annually, since they are shorter. The routes should also help prevent delays and increase flexibility in operations. The FAA worked for over seven years with the aviation industry to develop the new routes.

“These significant improvements to our national airspace system are just in time for summer and will help travelers get to their destinations more efficiently,” said Tim Arel, the chief operating officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization. “The new routes will reduce complexity and redistribute volume across all available airspace. I’m proud of the FAA and industry’s strong collaboration on this project to get it done.”

The routes will operate along the East Coast and offshore over the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, mostly at altitudes above 18,000 feet.