The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on May 1 that it activated 169 more direct routes along the East Coast that will enhance safety and help prevent delays.
The announcement comes just before the summer travel season, and it is expected to provide relief to airlines and passengers who have been struggling with congestion and delays in recent years.
The shorter routes will cut down 40,000 miles and 6,000 minutes of travel time annually, the FAA said. The agency anticipates the change to prevent delays by giving air traffic controllers more capacity to direct traffic to specific routes based on the aircraft’s destination.
The move will also give controllers more flexibility to change routings based on weather. It will create fewer converging points, which will enhance safety, the agency added….