First Passenger Aircraft lands in Antarctica

[cstorey]

The Australian newspaper reports that the first landing has been made by an A 319 at the new Australian ice runway in Antarctica. 4.5 hours from Hobart to the base. Quite an achievement, but not many traffic delays!

[Garry Russell]

Isn't that just for working personell.........I didn't think it was a normal passenger type thingy??

Garry

[Chris Trott]

No, this is a tourist operation. There's been plenty of DHC-6s and 737s flying into the Antarctic for years flying workers and researchers, especially to/from the bases served from Chile. The A319 flight was the first purely commercial tourist flight.

[Techy111]

Chris with the Ozone and all that....I thought these types of flights were forbidden...?

Tony

[ianhind]

From the other thread that includes video, a group of scientists were delivered.

As Garry points out, not convinced that this is an airline route. VH-VHD hardly belongs to a major carrier.
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php? ... 259&nseq=0

Perhaps this gives some idea of date?
http://cgi.ebay.com/2007-SKYTRADERS-A31 ... dZViewItem

And mention of ANARE indicates that this is not tourist traffic:
http://www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=7308

For Techy on a lighter note, maybe the Aussies are looking to get tanned quicker!

[Hot_Charlie]

The A319 flight was the first purely commercial tourist flight.

Not according to the BBC it isn't:

Passengers, scientists, government officials and ground crew walk on the ice runway

An historic flight between Australia and the Antarctic has touched down on a newly-built ice runway, launching the first regular air link between the continents.

Although some of the runway facilities are basic, with igloos for toilets, Australian scientists can now make the trip in less than five hours, revolutionising their work.

Eight resident scientists travelled 65km (50 miles) from Australia's remote Casey research base to greet the visitors in the midnight sun and temperatures of -17C.

An aerial view of the Australian Antarctic research base at Casey

Before the introduction of the weekly flight from Hobart, which is not open to tourists, researchers had to spend several weeks at sea to reach Casey.

Surprised they could find the space for a 13,500ft runway

[Chris Trott]

Hrm... there was a note about a tourist flight being flown into Antarctica by commercial aircraft. Air Expeditions has flown 737-200s in the past onto the ice from Chile in the past for tourists.