Photography Onboard? Viewing of the Aurora is an exciting
Do I get meals and refreshments onboard? You will receive full standard Air New Zealand international service appropriate to your class of travel. Complimentary bar service and snacks will be available during the flight. There will be two meals served during the flight. A dinner will be served shortly after take-off and a breakfast shortly before arrival. Please note that special meal requests will be limited and must be submitted to Viva Expeditions in writing at least one week prior to departure. Guests should be aware that once in the Aurora zone the cabin lights will be turned off to enable better viewing, at this time refreshments are only available from Air New Zealand cabin crew in the galley areas. Carbon Offsets As a responsible tour operator, Viva Expeditions carbon offsets all emissions related to the flight. How can I book? Please contact your preferred travel agent or Viva Expeditions.
Also, those booked in business class will also have lounge access. Can I bring luggage with me? Standard carry-on luggage allowances will be permitted. For the purpose of this flight this should be limited to a small cabin bag plus a handbag or camera. Cabin bag not to exceed 23 cm x 34 cm x 48cm. Total cabin luggage weight is not to exceed 7kg. Check in luggage can be checked in and will be stored at the airport until your return. Will there be In-Flight entertainment? You will be able to access inflight entertainment at the beginning and the end of your flight, and during meal services. While in the Aurora zone it is important that we minimise light as such you will not be able to access the inflight entertainment during this period. But never fear… Everybody joining us on this flight will receive a copy of the photographs and video taken by our photographers and astronomers onboard. This is free of charge and you should receive this within 14 days of your flight. So, you don’t need to worry about taking the perfect pictures and can just sit back and enjoy the view.
FAQs
experience, but it is important to note that there is a difference between viewing the Aurora with the naked eye versus what the camera captures. Striking images and videos of the Aurora that you may have seen are captured thanks to the extreme sensitivity of modern digital cameras. To help guests we will have a professional photographer onboard who can assist you in getting the best possible results. If you are an avid photographer or astronomer, we highly recommend you choose a premium seat or book a full row in economy to guarantee window access throughout the duration of the flight. Please note that if you are in a seat swap, you will not be able to affix covering to the windows in order to enhance photography. Please be considerate of other passengers to ensure everyone onboard has a great experience. Do I get Airpoints and Air New Zealand Koru Lounges? Unfortunately, this flight will not earn Air New Zealand Airpoints. Air New Zealand Koru members will be permitted to use the domestic lounge prior to the flight.
What is the probability of seeing an Aurora?
As we are in Nature’s hands we cannot guarantee a sighting, but there is a very high chance of encountering the stunning beauty of the Southern Lights in a magnificent, unforgettable display. How long will we see the Aurora for? As you will appreciate, the Aurora is a natural phenomenon, so this can never be guaranteed. However, on previous two charter flights, passengers enjoyed between 4 and 6 hours of viewing. How are the Aurora colours going to look? The Aurora Australis photographs in this brochure have been taken during previous flights from New Zealand. The naked eye will see them clearly; although modern digital cameras have greater sensitivity and can capture more colours and greater contrast. What is the Russell- McPherron effect? Thanks to a phenomenon called the Russell-McPherron effect, auroras are known to be more frequent and brighter than usual in spring and autumn. Russell and McPherron were two geophysicists at the University of California who, in an elegant paper in 1973, explained why this happens. Close to the equinoxes in March and September, the alignment of the interplanetary magnetic field and Earth’s magnetic field is such that the two opposing fields can cancel each other out.
How does the seat swap work? Once we start to view the aurora, you will have 20 minutes viewing from the seat you are in, then you will swap with your designated seat swap companion for a further 20 minutes (please see the seating map for more details). Then we will continue swapping in this manner for intervals of 40 minutes. Note if you are seated in Business Premier Plus, or have purchased a block of 4 seats in economy, then you do not need to swap. All passengers must return to their allocated seat as per their boarding pass prior to landing. Handy Hint: If you do not want to seat swap, thus share the window or seat adjacent to the window with others in your row via our seat swap system, then we suggest the following options: 1. Book a full row of 4 seats in Economy Class Wing – Special Offer! Book 4, Pay 3! 2. Book a full row of 4 seats in Economy Class No-Wing. 3. Book 2 seats in Economy Class Sky Couch 4. Book a row of 3 or 4 seats in Premium Economy Class 5. Book a seat in Business Premier Plus Class Then the row is all yours! You can enjoy the window seat for the whole flight or if travelling with others you control the sharing of the window seats.
Where will we fly? Departing from Christchurch, we will head south towards Antarctica, aiming for latitudes of 62 degrees south, our ultimate flight path will depend on where we find the Aurora. Check out a previous flight path in the image below. What if there is bad weather? As we fly above the clouds and the weather systems and due to the great navigational ability of the Dreamliner sightings of the Aurora should not be affected by weather.
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TIMELAPSE OF SOUTHERN LIGHTS BY FLIGHT
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