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The Most Isolated Scheduled Passenger Flight Path
The sky can seem very lonely when seen from a passenger airliner, but some flightpaths are lonelier than ever. Take the world’s most isolated passenger airline route, Qantas’s 14-hour flight between Santiago, Chile, and Sydney. It passes over absolutely nothing but empty water in the Southern Pacific Ocean four times a week. If anything would go wrong, the nearest airports to the route are on Easter Island and in New Zealand, if the plane was close enough to reach them. (airlinenews.in) More...
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I would totally agree.. SCL to AKL, SCL to SYD and AKL to EZE are all lonely flights. I would prefer to go on the newer dreamliners than Qantas old 747 workhorse, although at least with the 747 you have 4 chances if one of the engines screws up!
Not necessarily so. Loss of one engine or cabin pressure or other systems on some of these old 747 can lead to reduced altitude and thus increased fuel consumption and reduced range, particularly undesirable on long oceanic routes. This was not such an issue on the North / South Atlantic routes but the Pacific is wholly different.
Not sure of the Extended range status of these Quantas 747.
Not sure of the Extended range status of these Quantas 747.
LAN Chile was operating 777 on this route but now it is a 787 I think. QFA uses their well used 744s
Yup correct. LAN Chile uses the 787-9, Air NZ uses the 777-2 and Qantas use the 747s.. Although these are being retired soon so hopefully they will reignite their A380 order. I think trying to get ETOPS approved from SYD to SCL is probably not worth it for 4 flights a week
ETOPS for which aircraft and which route?. I recall QF is getting 787s (some derivative although not sure which) and does not have 777s (as you know!)
They would need ETOPS for the 787's going on SYD to SCL. Although i know some airlines have managed to get ETOPS 240 so really the only risk is that IPC-SCL leg and I think that would be able to be achieved in the 240 limit. Unless they sacrifice and use their A380's. The A330s are out of the question.
I do not think they could justify the A380s on that route and the 12 they have are fully burdened with their existing routes unless they give up the DXB-LHR to EK ( who have 6 a day to LHR and 3 a day to LGW!) as well as BHX & MAN !!
787 makes sense and I think they must operate at some ETOPS level for existing routes to other Asian cities. Interesting stuff! Must look up IPC. Do not know that code
787 makes sense and I think they must operate at some ETOPS level for existing routes to other Asian cities. Interesting stuff! Must look up IPC. Do not know that code
