The Daily Traveler's editors don't brag about being mathematical geniuses (we live and die by our calculators), but it seems obvious to us that a straight line is the most efficient way to get from point A to point B. When it comes to air travel, though, this is not the case--neither economically nor environmentally.

The Wall Street Journal says airlines are cutting long intercontinental flights to save on fuel costs because, for example, "a passenger on a 15-hour flight uses more fuel for each mile of the trip than someone on an eight-hour trip, but the airfare per mile generally doesn't rise proportionally."

Boeing's 787 Dreamliner has been hyped as the industry's magic (green) bullet, but the release of this super-efficient plane has been delayed by software glitches and hiccups in assembly production. The airliner's target launch date is now early 2009.

Thoughts? Post 'em.