Video shows the Portuguese airline’s Airbus A340-300 landing on the Wolf’s Fang ice runway amid –16°C temperatures.
The Portuguese airline Hi Fly celebrated five years of operations to Antarctica and released a spectacular video showing the landing of an Airbus A340-300 on a runway completely covered in ice and snow. The feat marked the beginning of the 2025/26 flight season to the frozen continent.
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On November 2, the aircraft, registration 9H-SUN, departed from Cape Town, South Africa, bound for Wolf’s Fang Runway (WFR), located in Queen Maud Land, near the Russian Antarctic station Novolazarevskaya and the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Upon arrival, the crew held a brief commemorative ceremony and installed a plaque reading “Celebrating 5 Years in Antarctica”, symbolizing half a decade of successful missions to one of the most extreme regions on Earth.
First runway capable of receiving large aircraft
The Wolf’s Fang Runway is operated by White Desert, a British luxury tour operator that conducts charter flights to Antarctica during the Southern Hemisphere summer. It is the continent’s first runway designed to accommodate large passenger aircraft—previously, only Norse Atlantic Airways had carried out similar operations.
“Each return to Antarctica is a unique experience. Flying in such severe conditions requires precision, teamwork, and deep respect for the environment. This five-year milestone represents the commitment and dedication of the entire Hi Fly team,” said Captain Carlos Mirpuri, who also serves as the company’s vice-chairman.
The largest aircraft to fly to the frozen continent
The Airbus A340 remains the largest commercial aircraft to operate in Antarctica. Since there is no refueling infrastructure at Wolf’s Fang, the aircraft covers approximately 4,630 km in five hours, carrying enough fuel for the round trip. According to technical data, flights HFM801 and HFM802 were operated with 81 tons of fuel and 15 tons of payload.
The landing took place at 1:00 a.m. local time, under –16°C temperatures and winds up to 25 knots, with a ground time of just 1 hour and 45 minutes.
The airline also revealed that the A340-300 is nearing the end of its service with Hi Fly after more than 25 years of operation. The Antarctic missions represent a historic and fitting finale for the legendary four-engine aircraft.
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Photos and videos: Hi Fly. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
