Airplanes to glide into New Zealand to save fuel

NEED TO KNOW

Planes will glide into Auckland (New Zealand) International Airport later this week during special test landings that will reduce fuel use and emissions. The approach method, which is said to be “a perfectly safe procedure,” will allow planes to do a glide descent into the airport, with engines set on idle. The trial landings are scheduled to begin Wednesday and will feature Air New Zealand and Qantas jets. Flights will be spaced to avoid other arrivals. “We’ve chosen only a very small group of aircraft to participate. [These planes] typically arrive at times of the day other traffic is light,” said airport spokesman Lew Jenkins. Other airports, including LAX, may test the program in the future.