Ever wondered why flight times seem to be getting longer? It’s called "padding", a phenomenon that helps airlines arrive on time – but at a cost.

"In the 1960s it took five hours to fly from New York to Los Angeles, and just 45 minutes to hop from New York to Washington, DC. Today, these same flights now take six-plus hours and 75 minutes respectively, although the airports haven’t moved further apart...

Ever wondered why flight times seem to be getting longer? It’s called "padding", a phenomenon that helps airlines arrive on time – but at a cost.

"In the 1960s it took five hours to fly from New York to Los Angeles, and just 45 minutes to hop from New York to Washington, DC. Today, these same flights now take six-plus hours and 75 minutes respectively, although the airports haven’t moved further apart...