It was big news a few weeks ago – the Qantas ‘flight to nowhere’ that sold out in less than 10 minutes.
‘The Great Southern Land’ scenic flight was organised by Qantas as a way for frequent flyers to jump on a plane, in a risk-free and safe environment.
The unique flight took in some of Australia’s most iconic sights, including the Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Uluru.
The flight departed Sydney on the 10th October, with 150 very lucky Aussies aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which is usually reserved for long-haul flights to Europe and the US.
Although flights often pass over these sights, it is usually at around 30,000 feet which means even if you have a window seat, there isn’t much to see. However, this trip was special, so Qantas was granted permission to fly as low as 3,000 feet over some iconic Aussie landmarks.
Captain Alex Passerini said of the flight plan:
“We will angle the aircraft so that passengers on both sides get a great view, in particular of Uluru after we were granted special permission for the flyover. It’s going to be a really special day and we are excited to be back in the air again.”
There were also some unexpected surprises visible from the low-flying aircraft – the folks behind ‘Visit Sunshine Coast’ got creative and left a very visible message on the sand of beautiful Coolum Beach.
Using letters over two metres high, they spelled out ‘VISIT US FOR REAL’, urging those watching to keep the region in mind when planning their next trip.
The view of Coolum Beach from the Qantas flight.
The flight also operated with zero emissions, as all carbon emissions from the flight were offset. Scroll down for some amazing shots and videos of Australia from above!
Would you be keen to jump on a 'flight to nowhere'? We never thought we would see the day, but we can't wait to stand in long lines at the airport. We would even gladly take the middle seat in Economy class!