With the intense jetstream from the west bringing a significant headwind to flights operating from the east coast to the west coast, there are a lot of aircraft stopping halfway to refuel and the ones that are making it are taking upwards of 7 hours for the journey.
Examples:
They’re about a third of the way to their destination, and are showing a groundspeed of only 302 kts.
Looks like they were doing less than 300kts for almost an hour.
It looks like a 5-hour delay getting out of Newark in the first place, and than an unplanned diversion to Alberquerque for refueling.
6:29 to get from KEWR to KABQ. Then a refueling. Then another 2:00 from ABQ to KLAX. You really have to want to get to Los Angeles, if you’re on that flight!
There is a story today in USA today about the headwind situation…