North Atlantic Tracks

[Netset]

Do flights originating from Medit. airports on their way to the USA, say JFK, have to route up North to Northern France than onto the UK in order to enter Shanwick OCA or are there any routes vis Spain? Thanks for your answers.

[A/P Disc]

The Nat track system is optional. Airlines can file
random routes. In your example they can fly
via Spain and Portugal and most of
the time would get a random route via Santa Maria FIR
and then onwards to the New York FIR.

They can plan random routes anywhere but if it is
to close to the Nat tracks you will get a routing away from
them. Off course depending on the wind it might be
wiser to fly via a Nat track even if you came from an
airport more southerly.

For example: AA could fly straight from Barcelona
towards the west coast of Portugal and then via
The Azores towards the US east coast. But the
actual routing changes every day depending on
the wind etc.

Hope this helps.

Rgds.

[Netset]

Yes, thanks for your time

[seacue]

Maybe 5 years ago I rode Spanair IAD -> MAD and return. We flew over the Azores in both directions. The Azores are somewhat south of the IAD-MAD great circle route. I presumed this had to do with their ETOPS situation, since the distance between Newfoundland and the Azores keeps you nearer suitable airports than any other route IIRC.