Most airline flights are "canned" pre-planned by dispatchers
and computer to get best time and fuel burn. They will be
modified to account for weather, traffic and the pilot has
limited input to planning, although the pilot in command can
modify some parts of the flight plan.
Once in flight, the PIC can request any route that is
needed.


"paul kgyy" wrote in message
oups.com...
|I took an AA flight from SAN to ORD Tuesday that looped up
through
| Utah and Wyoming, maybe to catch strong upper winds. But
I got to
| wondering how airline flight plans get planned. Does the
pilot do
| this, or the airline?
|
| I presume that ATC overrides theirs as they do mine from
time to time,
| though the airlines probably have a better idea of what's
likely to be
| approved.
|
| If you want to see the route, you can find it on
Flightaware, AA1484,
| Feb 20.
|