More refreshing than a Bintang? Antarctica Flights, in conjunction with Qantas, will soon offer Australians day trips to see Antarctica from the sky.
It’s not exactly Bali, but due to the international travel restrictions currently in place, it may be your only chance to see a different continent this year (with a cocktail in hand, no less).
The privately chartered flights will run from November, with flights departing Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Labelled “the world’s most unique scenic flight”, Antarctica Flights take place on Qantas 787 Dreamliners, and will last between 12 and 13 hours.
“About three hours into the flight we usually see the first sea ice and icebergs. We spend approximately four hours over Antarctica and the remaining four hours traveling home,” Antarctica Flights’ FAQ page states.
View this post on Instagram
As the flights don’t touch down until they return to Australia, they are considered domestic, enabling them to operate even as international flights continue to be suspended.
They also provide international standard service when it comes to food and drinks, despite this domestic classification.
Antarctica Flights CEO Bas Bosschieter highlighted some of the perks to 7 News: “There is no passport or luggage needed for an Antarctica Flight, you can even go in board shorts if you wish.”
Economy seats for a day trip start at $1,199 per person, while business class seats are being slung for $7,999.
Though these flights are not a new phenomenon (Antarctica Flights has been operating these November to February flights since at least 2015), with the uncertainty in the world this year it’s nice to see they have found a way to continue, with enhanced hygiene and safety protocols.
This year Antarctica Flights will operate seven flights.
View this post on Instagram
Though at first glance this might be quite a carbon-intensive way to see Antarctica (without getting close enough to see the wildlife in any detail), when you consider the traditional ways of experiencing the icy continent involve flying to the southern tip of South America, and the fact that Antarctica Flights lets you offset the emissions from your flights, it looks more reasonable.
If you want to indulge, bookings can be made here.