Tourists have been flying into Antarctica since the mid 1980s. Adventure Network (now Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions) started taking people in from Punta Arenas, Chile, in a DC4, landing on wheels on glacier ice at a base camp in the Ellsworth Mountains at about 80S. From there they could continue in ski-planes either to mountaineering sites, or wildlife (emperor penguins on the coast), or on to the South Pole. Subsequently they used DC6, then civilian C130 (on wheels, operated by Safair), then Ilyushin 76.
The ice runway that this A340 went to has been in use for around 5 years (I think). In a different area, roughly due South of Cape Town, at the spectacular Fenriskjeften range of mountains. An Icelandic 767 went in there last season, and they regularly have Gulfstream G550 going in there. By arrangement you can fly your own private jet into their strip. Operated by a company called White Desert, their rates for an 8 day stay range between $83,000 and $98,000 per person, depending on excursions. A day-trip can be had for just $14,500!
Ice strip landings are not too bad as long as the weather is suitable. I was doing them with British Antarctic Survey, in a Dash7 into an ice strip at 75S for about 10 years.
Edit - my mistake, the Icelandair 767 last season flew into the ice strip at the Norwegian Antarctic research station, Troll - that is another amazing operation. Think this A340 might be the first really big aircraft they have had into the strip at Wolf’s Jaw (Fenriskjeften).
Last edited by Ant T; 25th Nov 2021 at 20:37.