Luxury Travel

First Class flight to Antarctica in a non-public Airbus A340 jet

April 21, 2023

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Wednesday newsletters all the time characteristic a resort or flight evaluate.

Last February, I loved a chic vacation that I’ll keep in mind as my most epic journey ever: a visit to Cape Town (South Africa) and Antarctica (the seventh Continent). You can learn my journey experiences right here:

Today: First Class flight from Cape Town to Antarctica in a non-public Airbus A340 jet

Last February, I flew in a non-public Airbus A340 jet from Cape Town International Airport to a blue-ice runway in Antarctica, a rare journey which took round 5 hours and half-hour. The flight was operated by the airline Hi Fly and chartered by White Desert, the primary and solely operator taking friends into the hardly ever seen inside of Antarctica. White Desert has been pioneering luxurious journey within the White Continent since 2005 and makes use of both a Gulfstream G550 or an Airbus A340 to fly its friends, explorers, scientists and freight to its camps and a number of other analysis facilities in Antarctica. When its Airbus A340 touched down in Antarctica for the very first time final yr, it made headlines world wide. Guest can ebook the flight as a day journey (with three hours on the bottom in Antarctica) or decide to remain at one in every of White Desert’s luxurious camps in Antarctica (with actions together with mountain climbing, abseiling, fats biking, and journeys to the South Pole & Emperor penguins).

Have you ever traveled to Antarctica? If so, what was your expertise? Leave a remark.

Flight route: Cape Town to Wolf’s Fang Runway
Airline: Hi Fly
Aircraft sort: Airbus A340-300
Aircraft registration quantity: 9H-TQZ
Departure time: 7 pm
Arrival: 10:30 pm
Miles: 2300 miles (4630 km)
Flight time: 5 hours and half-hour
Seat: 1K
Class: First Class

In this evaluate (extra data & images under my YouTube video):

About White Desert
Sustainability
Safety briefing
Airport lounge
Airbus A340
First Class cabin & seat
Dinner
Entertainment
Landing in Antarctica

1. ABOUT WHITE DESERT

Pioneers of luxurious journey in Antarctica, White Desert was established by record-breaking polar explorer duo Patrick and Robyn Woodhead in 2005. Born out of a need to permit individuals aside from scientists and polar explorers to see the wonders of the inside of Antarctica, the corporate has been established for 17 years and employs 120 individuals from 17 totally different nationalities. The firm is vertically built-in and the one operator to fly friends by non-public jet immediately from Cape Town to Antarctica, touchdown on their very own distinctive blue-ice runway. Founded with environmentally acutely aware ideas at its core, White Desert’s mission is to create a constructive affect on Antarctica’s future (a bit much like what the safari trade has meant for environmental conservation in Africa).

Here’s some extra details about White Desert’s founders Patrick and Robyn:

Patrick Woodhead grew up in England and as a young person, heard the tales concerning the ‘Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration’ and names akin to Shackleton and Scott. Determined to comply with of their footsteps, he joined the youngest and quickest workforce to ever attain the South Pole in 2002 after which went on to guide the primary ever East to West traverse of Antarctica, masking 1850km (1149 miles) in 75 days. Outside the polar world, he has been on many profitable expeditions, summiting unclimbed mountains in Tibet and Kyrgyzstan, kayaking down uncharted rivers within the Amazon and being a part of the workforce to set the quickest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. In 2015, he rejoined a few of his outdated teammates to interrupt the file for the quickest traverse of Greenland. A passionate advocate for the surroundings, Patrick is a member of the Royal Geographical Society in London in addition to being a speaker for The Prince’s Trust charity.
Robyn Woodhead grew up in Cape Town in a household of intrepid vacationers. From the start, journey journey was in her DNA. After graduating from the University of Cape Town, she moved to London the place she set herself up on the planet of journey advertising and PR, occurring to discovered a UK-based luxurious journey advertising and promoting company. After an expedition to Antarctica in 2005, Robyn turned her consideration to the opposite finish of the planet and skied the final diploma to the North Pole in 2006, thereby turning into the primary South African to achieve each Poles. Robyn has been concerned in accountable Antarctic journey since 2006 and is on a mission to create true “Antarctic Ambassadors” – former high-profile White Desert shoppers who then go on to make a distinction by way of their very own networks, serving to to safe the long run and safety of Antarctica.

2. SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is on the very coronary heart of White Desert’s mission and the corporate does the whole lot it might probably to handle its impacts on the Antarctic surroundings. White Desert has been carbon impartial since 2007 however the firm’s largest environmental problem is after all aviation emissions. Going deep into Antarctica’s inside is among the defining traits of a White Desert expertise, and that’s solely doable for the common traveler by aircraft. However, planes produce comparatively massive quantities of carbon emissions however the firm is tackling that drawback in several methods:

Over the subsequent two years, White Desert goals to exchange all Jet A-1 gasoline it makes use of for its flights to, from and inside Antarctica by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). SAF is produced from waste oils and fat by way of an revolutionary course of that considerably reduces lifecycle carbon emissions, creating an 80 % smaller carbon footprint in comparison with conventional Jet A-1 gasoline. SAF combustion additionally produces fewer particulates and sulphur oxides (SOx), thereby significantly lowering the amount of soot particles emitted. This is especially important in Antarctica because the black coloration of the soot absorbs the warmth of the solar, exacerbating snow soften.
Until renewable plane gasoline exists on the business market, White Desert offsets all its flights, actions and initiatives to make sure that it achieves net-zero greenhouse gasoline emissions. Working with the UK-based Carbon Neutral Company, White Desert sponsors a well-established tree planting undertaking within the Amazon rainforest. The group can also be exploring sustainability alternatives nearer to its house in South Africa, specifically seagrass meadow regeneration initiatives.

It’s additionally vital to take into account that White Desert doesn’t solely fly vacationers to Antarctica, but additionally explorers, scientists and tons of freight for analysis facilities.

3. SAFETY BRIEFING

A compulsory security briefing is organized by White Desert on the day earlier than the scheduled flight into Antarctica. During my journey, the assembly was held at Ellerman House, one in every of Cape Town’s most unique motels (which I reviewed right here).

The briefing started with a brief presentation by Patrick Woodhead, CEO of White Desert, and his spouse Robyn, who’re each world record-breaking polar explorers. The presentation included particulars concerning the aircraft, the journey and the camp. Robyn additionally defined the Antarctic Treaty System, which regulates worldwide relations with respect to Antarctica, Earth’s solely continent with no native human inhabitants. Enacted in 1961, the treaty asserts that no occasion can declare territorial sovereignty over any a part of the continent and that the land can be utilized for peaceable functions solely. We have been additionally proven a brief video from the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) explaining our tasks while on the continent.

During the briefing it was introduced that our flight had been pulled ahead by a day because of climate circumstances. White Desert has a workforce of meteorologists that decide the most effective days to fly as there must be visible situations to land in Antarctica and low winds to take care of security. It’s the primary cause why friends are required to reach in Cape Town two days previous to their scheduled flight, as the precise timing of the flight is solely depending on the prevailing climate in Antarctica.

At the top of the briefing, the White Desert workers went by way of our baggage to make sure that we had all of the clothes required to your time in camp and through your actions. They defined what we wanted to pack into our hand baggage in order that we have been ready for our touchdown in Antarctica. A mini-shop by a third-party provider was current on the assembly, the place extra gadgets could possibly be bought in case there was a necessity of that.

An luxurious amenity equipment was additionally offered to all friends through the security briefing. It comprised a water bottle, cap, ear plugs, and a writing equipment.

4. AIRPORT LOUNGE

Two hours previous to the confirmed flight, White Desert picked me up from my resort in Cape Town and dropped me on the airport’s Execujet Private Lounge, a facility which is used for personal flights. Here, a lounge was obtainable to friends, and it was additionally the right time to satisfy different vacationers who had signed up for this White Desert journey. Once the aircraft was prepared for boarding, we have been pushed by automobile to the worldwide terminal, the place we needed to undergo border management and the safety check-point, earlier than being taken by bus to the plane stand.

AIRBUS A340 ANTARCTICA — CAPE TOWN PRIVATE FLIGHT TERMINAL

5. AIRBUS A340

The Airbus A340 that flew us from Cape Town to Antarctica – a journey of 5 hours and half-hour – was privately chartered by White Desert and operated by Hi Fly. Hi Fly is a totally licensed airline with two air operator certificates, one issued by Portugal and the opposite by Malta. The firm has no scheduled locations and makes a speciality of worldwide plane leases for airways, tour operators, governments, firms (akin to White Desert) and people.

Its 4 engines redundancy and really lengthy vary make the Airbus A340 the best airplane for this sort of distant mission. The A340 airframe that flew us to Antarctica was stationed for your complete month of January in Cape Town, shuttling friends, researchers and freight between South Africa and Antarctica on behalf of White Desert. The aircraft, with registration quantity 9H-TQZ, was inbuilt 1997 and used to fly for Singapore Airlines (1997-2004) and later Emirates (2004-2013), earlier than becoming a member of the Hi Fly fleet.

6. FIRST CLASS CABIN & SEAT

The ex-Emirates A340 jet provided 267 seats in First, Business, and Economy Class, however passengers have been seated within the premium cabins: the 42 Business Class seats have been assigned to White Desert workers and friends who had booked a daytrip to Antarctica, whereas White Desert’s camp friends have been seated within the First Class cabin, which had 12 seats in a 2-2-2 format.

All cabins had a classic look because the aircraft nonetheless featured the outdated Emirates cabin design. In First Class, this meant plenty of gold and wood trims, becoming Emirates’ signature fashion. The First Class seat, whereas outdated, was nonetheless very comfy however nonetheless dated in comparison with today’s First Class seats. A monitor – displaying the flight route – was hidden within the seat’s heart armrest whereas the seat’s different armrest held the tray desk, the seat controls and a handheld distant. The angle lie-flat seat allowed a recline to a close to 180 levels.

7. DINNER

During this flight, a 3-course dinner was served shortly after takeoff. The menu learn as follows:

Starter: Carpaccio of beetroot & tomato with whipped cheese mousse and tapenade
Main course: Charred beef fillet topped with wild mushrooms, served with potato dauphinoise and sautéed inexperienced beans
Dessert: Greek lemon cake with a ardour

Portions have been a bit on the small aspect however the meal was respectable nonetheless (though the meals paled compared to the advantageous delicacies provided at White Desert’s flagship camp Echo in Antarctica).

8. ENTERTAINMENT

A pill with a small collection of motion pictures and documentaries was offered, in addition to noise cancelling headphones. The inflight journal was changed by a flyer making ready us for our touchdown in Antarctica. The Airbus A340 was not geared up with WiFi.

9. LANDING IN ANTARCTICA

One hour previous to touchdown, the captain turned the cabin temperature down and passengers have been required to alter into their Antarctic equipment. The final a part of the flight was extraordinarily scenic as the enormous plane slowly descended over the magical Antarctic panorama on its technique to Wolf’s Fang runway, a blue ice runway which is privately operated by White Desert. Arriving at Antarctica actually felt like an emotional expertise that I had by no means felt earlier than throughout all my years of touring across the globe.

There aren’t any airports on the White Continent, however there are 50 touchdown strips and runways, Wolf’s Fang being one in every of them. The runway is called after Wolf’s Fang Mountain (Ulvetanna in Norwegian), some of the iconic mountains in Antarctica, which dominates the runway’s skyline. Incredibly, it takes 22 hours to groom and put together the runway previous to a jet touchdown and White Desert has a devoted workforce on web site which consistently displays the runway. Wolf’s Fang is designated a C Level “airport, which implies that solely extremely specialised crew can fly there because of difficult situations.

Upon touchdown all passengers have been welcomed by White Desert’s floor workforce in Antarctica (which counts greater than 80 workers members from greater than 17 nationalities). A 4×4 Arctic truck took us from the runway to Echo camp, a 15 min drive amongst staggering lovely iced landscapes. To be continued …