In a familiar phenomenon for passengers who traveled on long-distance flights, traveling from east to west takes longer than the trip itself in the opposite direction. Why? The rotation of the earth in the opposite direction of the clock makes part of the interpretation.
Markus Wahl from the German pilots' association (Vereinigung Cockpit) says: "Generally, at higher altitudes, wind often comes from the west, which is associated with the Earth's rotation."
Air currents from the equator to the poles are affected by the rotation of the Earth. Flights to the west usually face winds in the opposite direction, while flights to the east run in the same direction as the wind. These winds are also called jet streams, according to the German news agency.
"Normally eastward flights benefit from winds, because these favorable winds are the strongest," says Wahl.
Jet streams also affect short-distance flights, although the effect is too small, and causes a minor difference. "This effect often goes unnoticed amid the regular delays, that’s why you do not feel it as a passenger," Wahl says.
