Read the case study given below and answer the questions that follow:
Air transport is the fastest means of transportation, but it is very costly. Being fast, it is preferred by passengers for long-distance travel. Valuable cargo can be moved rapidly on a world-wide scale. It is often the only means to reach inaccessible areas. Air transport has brought about a connectivity revolution in the world. The frictions created by mountainous snow fields or inhospitable desert terrains have been overcome. The accessibility has
increased. The air-plane brings varied articles to the Eskimos in Northern Canada unhindered by the frozen ground. In the Himalayan region, the routes are often obstructed due to landslides, avalanches or heavy snowfall. At such times, air travel is the only alternative to reach a place. Airways also have great strategic importance. The airstrikes by U.S. and British forces in Iraq bear testimony to this fact. The airways network is expanding very fast. The manufacturing of air crafts and their operations require elaborate infrastructure like hangars, landing, fuelling, and maintenance facilities for the air crafts. The construction of airports is also very expensive and has developed more in highly industrialised countries where there is a large volume of traffic.
Although, U.K. pioneered the use of commercial jet transport, the U.S.A. developed largely post-War international civil aviation. Today, more than 250 commercial airlines offer regular services to different parts of the world. Recent developments can change the future course of air transport. Supersonic aircraft cover the distance between London and New York within three and a half hours.
Q. Why is air transport preferred by passengers for long-distance travel?