Why would the plane do this?

Question

I just flew on an Air Canada Embraer 175 jet from New York LaGuardia to Toronto. We took off, and climed to our cruising altitude of 30,000'. We were there MAYBE 10 minutes, when we started a slow, 45 minute glide down towards toronto. Why would we climb so high to spend such a short time there? The flight was very quick though, about 55 minutes.

Answer 1

This way of flying is to reduce fuel consumption, first flying high (less resistance) and then glide to destination.

L'Antipodien

Answer 2

Same way as you  put it. My flight from Washington-Dulles to Ottawa only took 46 minutes when in fact on United's website, it said the flight will take approxmiately 1 hour 46 minutes.

It takes 10 minutes to reach the max altitude for smaller planes like the Embraer 175 and 190 along with the Canadian Regional Jets.  Airbus and Boeing 717,737-787 is between 40,000-60,000 feet and they can reach that height in the same amount of time about as the ones listed above.

The longer the distance, the bigger the plane needed  so flights within 400 miles direct usually rely on Embraer,CRJ's and Boeing 717 or 737 planes as they don't use much fuel and they all have smaller tanks.  

As some airlines have confessed that they  have lessen their loads of Jet Fuel to just accomdiate to the location and nothing more. Alot of pilots have complained that they are low on fuel when the distance between point A and point B is less than 300 miles  as an example just to save on fuel.

Answer 3

easy its all about cost for the airlines any way to cut down on fuel consumption is a gold star in the pilots logbook