Direct route. In recent years, some airlines started offering flights they claim to be a ‘more direct route”. For example in Australia, where almost all international destinations mean a long-haul flight, this might have looked like a perfect marketing campaign for those airlines. But is it?
What is a “more direct route”?
A more direct route means fewer stopovers. Usually, and again taking Australia as an example, you get a direct flight from a capital city in Australia to a capital city in the Middle East and then another one to your final destination in Europe. One less stopover makes it a “more direct route” because it gets you there faster.
Does it suit everyone?
Although this might have become very popular with some travellers, that happened in Australia, the reality is it may not suit everyone. Even for aviation lovers like myself, 14 hours inside a plane is exhausting at the best of times. Unless you are travelling in Business or First Class, it is rather uncomfortable as you are seating down for a very long period and a walk around the cabin is not enough to keep you going. Sacrificing that “more direct route” and dividing that trip into 3 legs means you spend less time on the plane and you have some time to walk around and breathe some fresh air. So in the end, that extra time may be a positive thing. Adding to that you may visit another country, even if it’s just the airport.
Other reasons
But some passengers may have other reasons not to do it. These days people look more and more at things like human rights and standards, and they may refuse certain destinations or airlines because of that. The services provided by certain airlines are also a reason, but that is the case for all types of routes. You usually don’t fly an airline with which you had a horrible experience.
In the end, it is important to respect everyone’s choice and understand all offers, some may not suit us, but they will certainly suit others.