Portuguese charter airline Hi Fly landed the first Airbus A330 in Antarctica on Monday as it continues its seasonal service to the world’s most isolated continent.
The aircraft, registered as 9H-HFI, departed from Cape Town, South Africa, and landed at Wolf’s Fang Runway in Antarctica at 11:59 p.m. local time. Hi Fly Vice Chairman Carlos Mirpuri served as captain for the flight, with CEO Antonios Efthymiou also on board to mark the occasion.
Hi Fly operates flights between South Africa and Antarctica for tour company White Desert Antarctica between November and February. For the past four seasons, the airline has flown the route using an A340, but twin-engine operations at Wolf’s Fang are now possible due to the addition of new ground support equipment.
“Landing in Antarctica is never routine, every flight demands careful planning, exacting precision, and respect for the environment,” Mirpuri said in a statement. “Introducing the A330 to this remote runway highlights our commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and the ongoing evolution of polar aviation.”
Wolf’s Fang Runway is a blue ice runway and the first runway built in Antarctica that supports large passenger airplanes.
Hi Fly landed the first A340 on the continent in 2021.
