Why Planes Don't Fly Over Tibet

Summary by Krater

This video explores why modern commercial airliners avoid flying over the Tibetan Plateau, examining geographical, weather, and emergency-landing constraints.

From the video

Answers: Why do airplanes avoid flying over Tibet?

• aviation history
• Tibetan Plateau geography
• aircraft emergency procedures
• mountain flying hazards
• jet fuel freezing points

What it concludes

• The Tibetan Plateau's extreme average elevation of over 4,500 meters makes it the highest geographic region in the world and a major obstacle for aviation.
• During World War II, allied air crews flying supplies from India to China over the plateau suffered catastrophic losses due to severe turbulence, freezing temperatures, and lack of emergency airfields.
• Aircraft flying over 30,000 feet must descend to 10,000 feet during cabin depressurization emergencies, which is fatal over a plateau averaging 14,000 feet.
• Major international airports surrounding the Tibetan Plateau are hundreds of kilometers apart, leaving aircraft with no safe diversion points in an emergency.
• Fast winds across the plateau create severe turbulence and jet fuel can freeze when temperatures drop below -40 degrees Celsius during long flights.