Why Planes Fly Over The North Pole But Not The South Pole

Summary by Krater

This video explains why commercial flights do not fly non-stop over Antarctica, covering FAA polar route regulations, pilot training, and ETOPS rules.

From the video

Answers: Why are there no commercial flights over Antarctica?

• Antarctic flight routes
• FAA polar route regulations
• ETOPS ratings
• aviation diversion airports
• magnetic navigation near poles

What it concludes

• Commercial flights cannot fly non-stop between Perth and Buenos Aires because the route goes directly over the South Pole, where commercial flights are not permitted.
• Polar routes require special training, equipment including cold-weather anti-exposure suits, and FAA approval for emergency alternate airports within 48 hours of landing.
• Twin-engine planes are restricted by ETOPS ratings, which require them to stay within a specified flight time radius of an airport.
• The lack of diversion airports near the South Pole makes ETOPS compliance impossible for Antarctic routes, as the closest potential diversion airport in Ushuaia is thousands of miles away.