FLIGHT INFO:
Server: Solo
Route: London, England to São Paulo, Brazil
Aircraft and Livery: Boeing 787-10, British Airways
Flight Time: 11 hours, 10 minutes
CONTEXT:
It was a stereotypical rainy day in Shannon, when I was on a work Zoom meeting. I work for they National Virology Center of the United States, but since my job only involves in person meetings a few times a year, I’m free to live wherever I’d like. The director of my division announced that someone needed to travel to Antarctica to help some British scientists collect ice core samples. That lucky person must bring back a sample to be tested for various prehistoric viruses.
But, keep in mind, its still not summer! Nobody volunteered to take the samples. My boss said that someone had to do it, so I begrudgingly agreed.
Everyone else signed off the meeting, thankful that they weren’t the ones heading to the South Pole, and my boss sent a flight itinerary. Oh boy…
Flight One: COMPLETE
Aer Lingus A320
Shannon-London Heathrow
Flight Two: COMPLETE
British Airways 787-10
London Heathrow - São Paulo
Flight Three:
JetSmart A320
São Paulo - Ushuaia
Flight Four:
Infinite Flight Charters Q-400
Ushuaia - King George Island, Antarctica
After clearing British customs, I made my way to my new gate, in Terminal 5, for my flight down to São Paulo, where I’d have six hours before a JetSmart flight to Ushuaia. Unfortunately, my 2 hour layover turned into a 4.5 hour layover. Apparently, the aircraft’s flaps didn’t retract upon landing in from Seattle. They deplaned all the passengers, and towed the 787 over to a BA hangar to repair the plane.
I settled into my seat, in economy (yikes!) for this 11 hour flight. The cabin was nice, modern, and clean, something vital for a flight of this length. Our crew was friendly, and pushback happened quickly after boarding.
We taxied over to the runway and cruised into the sunny skies above West England, not a cloud in sight. The turbulence levels had decreased significantly since my flight into London that morning, which was nice. After we passed 15,000 feet, the crew passed out pillows and blankets, as it was already 6:00 PM, and many weary connecting travelers were eager to sleep.
Just west of Spain, the last light of the evening faded, and the flight attendant did our meals service. I opted for the chicken and rice, as well as a side salad. It was delicious! The slice of chocolate cake for desert was a nice touch, too.
Sunrise near the coast of Brazil! The night was smooth, and I got a solid 8 hours of sleep, which I greatly appreciated after my exhausting day of travel.
Over northeast Brazil, the breakfast service began. I had the scrambled eggs and fruit plate, which was incredible! 10/10. Things got a bit bumpier as we neared the mountains, but watching the Dreamliner’s wing flex was fun!
Beginning our approach into São Paulo! I just filled out my Brazilian customs form. Nothing to declare!
São Paulo is surrounded by mountains, which we got great views of before landing.
Hooray! After more than eleven hours and 6,000 miles, we buttered onto the runway in São Paulo. We landed on the airport’s shorter runway (9,000 feet versus 12,000 feet), so braked pretty hard, but nobody minded. We were happy to be back on the ground.
As I made my way to customs & immigration, I snapped a picture out our 787, already preparing to fly back to London with a different crew. I’ve got some time to kill here, before my JetSmart flight down to Ushuaia, my last stop before Antarctica! I’m trying to soak up some tropical vibes. Its 80 degrees here in São Paulo, and where I’m going, its -33.
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