Wednesday newsletters at all times function a resort or flight overview.
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 reviews right here:
Today: First Class flight from Antarctica to Cape Town in a personal Airbus A340 jet
Last February, I visited Antarctica with White Desert, the primary operator taking visitors into the not often seen inside of Antarctica and managing Antarctica’s solely luxurious camps. This is my overview of the return flight from Antarctica to Cape Town, a 5 hour and 30 minute journey in First Class onboard an Airbus A340 that was privately chartered by White Desert and operated by Hi Fly. Hi Fly is a absolutely 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. The A340 airframe that flew us to again to Cape Town 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.
Since I’ve already revealed an in depth overview of the outbound flight right here (Cape Town to Antarctica), I made a decision to write down this journey report in a considerably completely different format, summarizing my flight expertise from begin to finish, illustrated by dozens of photographs. You can watch my YouTube video with my impressions in the course of the return flight (together with an exceptional take off scene) right here:
Have you ever traveled to Antarctica? If so, what was your expertise? Leave a remark.
- Flight route: Wolf’s Fang Runway to Antarctica
- Airline: Hi Fly
- Aircraft kind: 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
After an unforgettable week within the nice outside of Antarctica’s Queen Maud Land, our time within the White Continent was coming to an finish. The White Desert employees picked us up in a 4×4 Arctic truck and took us to Wolf’s Fang runway, a brief 15 min drive by way of an otherworldly panorama. At Wolf’s Fang, a tented lounge – adorned within the fashion of the early explorers – was obtainable, the place we might wait a short time the airplane was being loaded with cargo. The lounge supplied a haven of consolation and heat amidst Antarctica’s unforgiven local weather.
After a brief wait within the lounge and taking part in some board video games with my journey companions, it was time to board the plane. The employees accompanied us on the brief 15 min stroll from the lounge to the airplane; I wanted the brief hike I’d have taken longer for the reason that view of the large Airbus A340 towards a backdrop of jagged mountains and glacial icefields was past spectacular, in contrast to something I had ever seen earlier than. There was fairly some exercise on the airfield, for the reason that return flight carried extra passengers in comparison with the outbound flight. The passengers have been a mixture of White Desert visitors & employees and scientists of a close-by analysis heart who have been leaving the continent as winter approached.
White Desert’s camp visitors have been seated within the First Class cabin, which nonetheless featured the outdated Emirates cabin design with numerous gold and picket trims.
The First Class seat, whereas outdated, was nonetheless very comfy and had hundreds and a great deal of leg room however nonetheless felt dated in comparison with immediately’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.
After boarding was full, the doorways have been closed and it didn’t take lengthy earlier than we took to the skies. The takeoff roll on Wolf-Fang blue ice runway felt surreal (and bumpy) and the surroundings proper after carry off was breathtaking. The airplane made a U-turn, permitting us one final glimpse of the White Continent, earlier than we climbed by way of a skinny cloud layer and proceeded in a single direct line to Cape Town, a journey of 5 hours and half-hour throughout the Southern Ocean.
Shortly after takeoff, the crew handed out scorching towels to refresh just a little.
A pill was supplied to every passenger (with a small collection of films and documentaries) in addition to noise cancelling headphones. The Airbus A340 was not geared up with WiFi.
Dinner service began about 45 minutes after takeoff, whereas we left the shore of Antarctica behind. The menu learn as follows:
As a starter, an antipasto platter was served with breadsticks and charcuterie.
As a principal course, I select braised beef shirt rib on candy potato puree with roasted courgettes & carrots.
Chocolate malakoff was served as desert.
After dinner, it was time for a nap. The angled lie-flat First Class seat allowed a recline to a close to 180 levels, and the Hi Fly cabin crew supplied a pillow and blanket.
The flight from Antarctica to Cape Town was remarkably clean (no turbulence in any respect), which was additionally the case for the outbound (Cape Town to Antarctica) flight. I used to be anticipating lots of turbulence on each flights (since Antarctica is surrounded by a belt of stormy climate) however luckily, that proved to not be the case. It allowed me to stretch my legs as typically as I wished, and likewise gave me the chance to discover the airplane’s different cabins.
The 42 Business Class seats have been assigned to White Desert employees and visitors who had booked a daytrip to Antarctica.
Meanwhile, the scientists from a few of Antarctica’s analysis facilities have been having a celebration within the entrance Economy Class cabin, celebrating the top of their mission on the White Continent.
I additionally checked out the bathrooms, which have been geared up with Charlotte Rys toiletries (a South African luxurious model).
The solar was setting as we approached Cape Town.
The airplane landed on the metropolis’s worldwide airport at 9 pm native time, after which it was time to say goodbye to my journey companions and White Desert’s superb employees.
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