Study suggests aircraft could boost efficiency by flying in formation

that's all fine and dandy but what are people gonna say when 500 people die when 2 jets touch wings at FL's?

Gee just think you could wipe out over 1000 if you could get two 380 to do it. Wonder how rough the ride would be due to the other aircraft around it and getting them all up at the same time would be fun also another worthless post from someone smoking there lunch

Erm, my flight instructor mentioned the dangers of formation flying on multiple occasions, and I have heard plenty of stories to corroborate these. Thinking outside of the box is good, but for this particular idea, it's asking for major problems. When flying in formation, you are positioning yourself in relation to another aircraft; if the lead aircraft creates a problem, the following aircraft may unwittingly follow suit - I have heard talk of entire formations accidentally flying into the ocean. Also, I have heard of pilots making bad fuel decisions, because the plane they are in formation with has burned less for whatever reason ("We've gotta be good, because they are good!"). Finally, there is a lot less room for error when you have something else up there to hit; formation flying while carrying paying passengers is forbidden in the US, and for very good reason.