Why are there no flights over Antarctica?

Antarctica, more isolated than the Arctic, has no diversion airports, effectively making the region a no-go zone for scheduled passenger services. The 1979 crash of Air New Zealand's Antarctic sightseeing trip didn't help perceptions of Antarctic flying.



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The short answer is, no, it's not illegal to fly over Antarctica. But there are practical considerations that make it challenging for regular airlines to navigate across the land. In many parts of Antarctica, there's limited or no infrastructure, no landing strips, and obviously no refuelling stations for planes.

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Unlike the north polar region, which is preferred especially for flights between Asia and North America, it is not possible to come across passenger planes over Antarctica.

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In 1911, a Norwegian team led by explorer Roald Amundsen first reached the South Pole. Since then, there have been thousands of expeditions across the continent, for adventure as well as science. However, due to the challenging terrain and extreme temperatures, many areas of Antarctica have not yet been fully explored.

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Summary. Airlines avoid flying over Tibet due to its high average terrain, which would make it difficult for aircraft to descend in case of emergencies. The mountainous region of Tibet increases the risk of turbulence, making it disruptive for passengers and potentially dangerous.

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