Smartwings has become the first airline to fly the Boeing 737 MAX to Antarctica. Earlier this week, the airline flew the aircraft type around 9,100 miles (14,700km) as the crow flies from Oslo Airport in Norway all the way to Troll Station on the icy continent.

While it doesn't happen every day, it's not uncommon to see commercial aircraft landing near the South Pole. To date, we've seen a Boeing 767 from Icelandair and an A319 from the Australian Antarctic Division, to name a few. We even recently saw the first-ever Airbus A340 flight down south. Now, the Boeing 737 MAX has joined the ranks of commercial aircraft that have visited the frozen desert.

Smartwings heads south

On Tuesday, a Smartwings Boeing 737 MAX departed Oslo heading for Prague. This, in itself, wouldn't strike you as being out of the ordinary. However, the aircraft's final destination was anything but ordinary. After a stop in Prague, the plane then stopped two more times on its way to Troll Research Station on Antarctica, with the following route:

  • Oslo - Norway
  • Prague - Czech Republic
  • N'Djamena - Chad
  • Cape Town - South Africa
  • Troll Research Station - Antarctica
Smartwings, Boeing 737 MAX, Antarctica
The aircraft started its voyage in Olso. Photo: Smartwings

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Months of preparation

The Boeing 737 MAX flight to the Antarctic took months of preparation. Because landing on a glacier requires special training, the airline picked three of its best pilots for the mission. These were Tomáš Nevole, Jan Šťastný and Lubomír Malík. It' wasn't just special training for the landing that was needed though.

The pilots and cabin crew also had to undergo Arctic survival training for the mission. They were required to carry polar survival kits, and critical spare parts for the Boeing 737 should something go wrong. After all, it's not so easy to ship a spare part to the South Pole if necessary.

Smartwings, Boeing 737 MAX, Antarctica
Smartwings has now landed an aircraft on all seven continents too. Photo: Smartwings

The airport also threw up some additional challenges in terms of planning the flight. While Troll Research Station is fully equipped to receive such aircraft with fire services, fuel, and more on hand, it is the only airport in the vicinity. Usually, such a flight would be planned with an alternate landing point, just if it wasn't possible to land at the intended destination.

Read More: How Airbus A320s Land On Ice In Antarctica

The remoteness of Troll Station means that it isn't possible to plan for a diversion. According to FlightRadar24.com, it is 4,332 kilometers from Cape Town as the crow flies. Boing quotes the 737 MAX's maximum range at 6,570km, meaning that it would've passed a point of no return on the way to Antarctica. The only option at this point is to land at the destination. Because of this, Smartwings had to secure special permission for the flight from the Czech Aviation Authority.

Smartwings, Boeing 737 MAX, Antarctica
Photo: Smartwings
The aircraft passed a point of no return on the way to Antarctica. Photo: Smartwings

Thankfully the mission was successful. The aircraft departed Oslo at 04:49 on Tuesday and landed back at the start point at 06:35 yesterday. This gives the total mission time at around two days. The flight was an achievement for both Smartwings and the 737 MAX. It was the first time that both had landed on the frozen continent, meaning that both have now landed on all seven continents.

What do you make of the out-of-the-ordinary Boeing 737 MAX flight? Let us know what you think and why in the comments below!