Pic of the Day

Japan Air lines McDonnell Douglas DC-8

This is a Post Card from the early 1970s. Flight between Tokyo and Paris was approximately 20 hours back then. Flight time today is like 12 hours. Why was it so different? Jet airliners, new or old, fly around 500 MPH. The USSR might have something to do with it:

Airspace Closure and Civil Aviation: A Strategic Resource for Airline Managers By Steven D. Jaffe, page 144

Cold War Polar Routes
Airlines are prohibited from flying over the red areas