Question for a BA pilot re LAX takeoffs
At LAX yesterday, in the late afternoon, I watched a BA flight take off for LHR. All LAX takeoffs are east to west, so I expected it to turn north -- I had always assumed that all flights to northern Europe did that. But instead, it turned about 30 degrees south and as it flew out of sight was heading southwest.
Why? How far southwest over the Pacific would it have gone before turning back?
(Hope this isn't a really dumb question!)