Both ANZ/TE and Qantas/QF have historically flown Antarctica scenic 12 hour ICE pleasure flights since they first got the aircraft able to do that unique mission - DC-10 30, and 747-238B from 1977 onwards, Qantas added in 1994 with the latest RR 747-438ER.
History -
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/phot...0two%20summers.
ANZ's day trip ICE flights screeched to halt, never to be restarted, after their tragic 1979 Mt Erebus crash.
Qantas continues to this day with the seasonal Southern Summer (NOV-FEB) Scenic ICE flights from various Oz airports with a specialist ICE Tour operator chartering the aircraft.
Day trips -
https://www.antarcticaflights.com.au/
It was always the domain of QF's 747's (the -438ER version up to the date of their retirements) to fly these missions.
I was wondering what type would then do this seasons' flights with the 747 gone and the A380's parked.
IIRC there is some operational issue of the A380 going into the realms of the deepest Southern Hemisphere - someone here will update me on that...But I know that they were not flying them on the PER-JNB and SYD-JNB due to some issues - these routes are now flown by 787.
Surprisingly,
The ICE flights are now on 787-9's - a Twin ETOPS aircraft. (ETOPS was never an issue with DC-10 or 747 ICE ops)
ETOPS has jumped from 120 minutes to 180 then leap forwards a few years reaching 330, then 370 minutes...with 420 mooted for the A350.
Extension beyond ETOPS 240 has been on a case by case basis.
The first ETOPS 330 rating went to the 777-200ER, with Air New Zealand operating it between Auckland and Buenos Aires. The Boeing 787 received the same ETOPS 330 rating in 2014, enabling LATAM to operate it (instead of the A340) between Santiago and Sydney / Auckland.
The A350 was the first aircraft to receive the maximum, ETOPS 370 rating. It was the first aircraft to receive a rating higher than 180 minutes before it even entered service
(ie: out of the box)
AFAIK The 330 minute ETOPS clearance allows the QF 787 to fly
to & around Antarctica, but not to Overfly the whole Continent due to the only absolute no-go area under ETOPS 330 & 370 which is directly over Antarctica. However the ICE day trip flights do not overfly the whole region.
What to see on day trips -
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/04/how-...m-the-air.html
I personally was to do a QF 747 ICE trip, but due to the 747 retirements, then Covid my plans were all scuppered.
I do not think I will wish to fly on a Twin 787 to Antarctica.
I am gonna use the money for an Antarctica Expedition cruise instead on one of the new Hybrid ICE Polar ships.