Planes generally avoid flying directly over the Himalayas due to significant safety risks and operational challenges.
Safety Concerns
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Emergency Landings: The most critical factor is the lack of suitable terrain for emergency landings. As stated in the reference, "planes cannot come down in such a short time, which makes flying there dangerous." There are virtually no flat areas within the mountain range where a plane could safely land in case of a mechanical issue or other emergency.
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Navigation Challenges: High altitudes and mountainous terrain can interfere with navigation equipment. The reference highlights that "navigation equipment also does not function at its best over the Himalayan range," making precise flight control and accurate positioning difficult.
Operational Difficulties
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Rapid Altitude Changes: The Himalayas feature drastically changing altitudes. In case of an issue, descending safely from these extreme altitudes becomes a major challenge.
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Turbulence: Mountain ranges often create unpredictable air currents and severe turbulence, making for a very bumpy and potentially dangerous flight experience.
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Limited Infrastructure: The lack of nearby airports and ground support infrastructure also pose problems. If a plane experienced trouble near the Himalayas, rescue and emergency services would be difficult to access.
Summary
While it might seem like a straight path for some routes, the lack of emergency landing options, unreliable navigation, and hazardous flying conditions makes flying over the Himalayas extremely dangerous and therefore generally avoided. This is why planes tend to fly around the Himalayan mountain range instead of directly over it.
