As far as I know, they confined these trips to around Christmas/New Year which limits the chance to make a dollar. Even then, the success of these flights was subject to weather for the pax to view the territory.
To me, it seems the flights were more an exercise in public relations and utilising unsold capacity than a money making venture.
Comments anyone?
QF charters the aircraft and therefore makes a profit whether or not the flights have one pax or are chock-a-block
The season is based around the statistical best weather in the Antarctic ie Jan and Feb .
New Years Eve is also a ""romantic" favorite notwithstanding.
Christmas/ New Year has nothing to do with it.
It has nothing to do with public relations : a man with a vision thinks he can make a quid out of Antarctic flights and has always done so out of the program and puts his money where his mouth is; more power to him.
how could they possibly operate these services now the true antarctic expert has 'retired'
He might not have been your first choice to have a beer with but he was absolute quality when it came to operating the Antarctic flights..the charterer was delighted with him so if the customer is satisfied, is there much else to say?