Congratulations on booking your seat on your expedition to see Antarctic by Flight.
We are thrilled you will be traveling on this unique adventure to see the majesty of the White Continent from the comfort of a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Here you will find additional information to help you plan for the flight, understand how it operates and make the most of the experience. At any time if you wish to discuss the details of your Antarctica by Flight please contact your booking agent.
Seat Swap
Most passengers will receive two boarding passes, one for the outward journey and a second boarding pass for the return journey.
Please note that limited view economy seats do not undertake seat swaps. All business class passengers will have a window seat for
at least one half of the flight. Premium economy, economy no wing and economy wing passengers will have a window or adjacent
to window seat for half the duration of the flight. Limited view economy seats will not be seated next to windows but will be given
opportunities to walk around the aircraft and view Antarctica that way. We encourage a co-operative attitude between passengers on the flight. We hope that there will be hours of viewing time of Antarctica and as such there should be more than enough time for everyone to share viewing opportunities and observe the continent below.
Luggage
Check in luggage will not be permitted for the flight, although standard carry-on luggage allowances will be permitted. For the purpose of this flight this should be limited to a small cabin bag plus a handbag or camera. Cabin bag not to exceed 115cm = 56cm (L) + 36cm (H) + 23cm (D). Total cabin luggage weight is not to exceed 7kg.
The aircraft
Providing optimal comfort and space for every passenger is at the core of the Qantas Dreamliner design which features 236 seats - less than most other aircraft of its type. The aircraft is fitted with state-of-the-art technology to reduce turbulence, improve noise quality and reduced aircraft vibrations for a smoother flight. Every seat has been designed to offer the ultimate comfort for long-haul flyers. The Business Suites and Premium Economy seats featured on the Dreamliner will also be installed on the airline’s Airbus A380 fleet from 2019 onwards as part of an upgrade of its largest long-range aircraft. The windows in our Dreamliner are 65% larger than comparable aircraft windows, providing an increased sense of space and the opportunity for passengers to see more of the world.
Competitons
We will be offering two free flights on the 2022 Southern Lights by Flight season to the owner of best photograph from the 2021 season. Simply upload to Facebook or Instagram with a description of the photo and flight and tag @chimuadventures for your chance to win.
Use of Cameras and other devices.
Given the nature of the flight, clearly you’ll want to take some photos and video from your window. Please watch the expedition briefing video to help prepare you for doing this on the flight. Please remember that even if you’re in the window seat, you are essentially sharing the view from your window with other passengers adjacent to you. We ask all passengers to be mindful of this whilst viewing and or taking images. Any individual affixing cameras to the windows or placing any equipment in the window for extended periods of time will be asked to remove the item.
Airport security
Please be aware that you will need to pass through standard airport security prior to boarding the flight. Please do not bring along any personal items that may be likely to be screened and removed from you at airport security. If you are carrying any personal medication for the flight please ensure that these are professionally manufactured and labelled. If not they risk being confiscated from you at security.
Carbon Offset
As a responsible tour operator, Chimu Adventures carbon offsets all emissions related to the flight
FF points
Unfortunately this flight will not earn Qantas frequent flyer points. Qantas lounge members will be permitted to use the domestic lounge prior to the flight.
Suggested Packing List
FAQ’s
What is the probability of seeing Antarctica below?
As we are in Nature’s hands we cannot guarantee that weather and cloud cover will permit the sighting of Antarctica below, however after consultation with Qantas and pilots, we have carefully selected dates of a calendar year based on there being a greater chance of sighting the Great White continent from the window of a Dreamliner. with daylight and weather patterns to give you the best chance to experiencing Antarctica from the seat of a flight.
How long will we see Antarctica for?
As you will appreciate, weather is out of our control so, so this can never be guaranteed. We will spend 3 - 4 hours flying over the Antarctic continent and weather permitting we’ll hope to reduce the flying altitude to approximately 20,000 feet to give improved viewing of some areas.
How does the seat swap work?
We will be doing a seat swap during the flight. As can be seen on the Seat Swap diagram on the Seating Plan the aim is to give passengers in the seating classes that will be doing a seat swap time in a window seat or seat next to a window. Please Note the Economy Class – Limited View category will not be doing a seat swap. The helpful Qantas staff onboard will be facilitating the seat swap and instructing on the cleaning regime required during the process.
What if it is bad weather?
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Where will we fly?
Generally it takes around three hours of flying time south of Australia before we start to see scattered icebergs and shortly after we normally reach the continent itself, where, weather permitting, we’ll get to take in the dramatic mountains, glaciers and frozen landscapes of Antarctica. For the regular Antarctica flights we will spend 3 - 4 hours flying over the Antarctic continent and weather permitting we’ll hope to reduce the flying altitude to approximately 20,000 feet to give improved viewing of some areas. The South Pole Flight will spend significantly longer over Antarctica, mostly at cruising altitude as we aim to reach the South Pole. On each departure date we carefully consider a number of factors, including weather, cloud cover and ice conditions to help provide you the best viewing experience on the day. Working with Qantas, we have 20 different potential flight paths to choose from, all of which have a variety of interesting features to see.
Are there any age Restrictions for the Flight?
There is no age restriction on the flights. There is no changes to the price for adults or children. Please Note this is a long flight for young children and we recommend the trip for children aged 8 years and over. Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
Can I use or redeem Qantas Frequent Flyer points or credits
for my flight? As this is a chartered flight, they do not accumulate or accept frequent flyer points. Any credits held with Qantas can also not be used to purchase these flights. Can I offset the carbon emissions from my flight? As a member of Responsible Travel, Chimu Adventures have always put measures in place to reduce our impact on the environment. We will be offsetting the carbon emissions of all the Southern Lights Flights.
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