Jets v the jet stream

Flights from Britain to the US could take longer in future because of climate change. The jet stream is expected to become more powerful as the climate warms, and that means flights to America battling against fiercer headwinds.

Flights from New York to London, on the other hand, will probably speed up as they ride on the faster jet stream, although this won't balance the slower flights and a round trip will still be longer. That means more fuel used by the aircraft, more air pollution and possibly higher fares, according to researchers at the University of Reading in a study published in the journal "Environmental Research Letters".