Arctic (flight) charters - Oslo to Longyearbyen

[flydc]

I know they just started offering these last year and I did a search on CC as well as a google search and came up with very little....

 

Anyone have any experience or tell us what to expect? 

 

I'm assuming it's a regular sized aircraft. Do they block the middle seats? We are on the Silver Wind - so 275+ guests so do they have two charters or do they squeeze us onto one? Our only experience with SilverSea (flight) charters was in Antarctica. The config was 2 // 3 .... the middle seat was blocked on the 3 side. 

 

It's a four hour flight - so hopefully it's a comfortable one! 

 

Thanks in advance for any info. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

Following.  We're on Endeavour in June 2025.

 

When is your cruise?  I recently read that Norway will be restricting cruise ships in Svalbard starting January 1, 2025:  200-passenger limit in protected areas plus restrictions on landing sites, ship speeds in protected areas, and minimum distance from haul-sites for walruses.

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/expedition-cruising/new-svalbard-restrictions-moving-norwegian-parliament-sign

 

Endeavour only holds 200 passengers, but this would affect the capacity of Wind.

[jpalbny]

It's actually not a new offering - we took a Silversea charter in 2011 to LYB for our Arctic cruise on Silver Explorer. I don't remember anything special about the flight, but it doesn't matter now as things are probably very different. The itineraries at the time were ten days, one-way between Tromso and LYB, so a charter was needed between Oslo and LYB. Every 20 days they had to pick up a group from Oslo, fly them to LYB, then fill up with disembarking pax and bring them back to Oslo.

 

The one odd thing that I do remember, is that even though Svalbard is administered by Norway, it's outside the Schengen zone. So from Oslo, you have to exit through passport control and fly out of the international (non-Schengen) part of Oslo airport. Makes sense, but it surprised me at the time. Unless they've reconfigured the Svalbard treaty, that part will not have changed for your journey.

[flydc]

12 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Following.  We're on Endeavour in June 2025.

 

When is your cruise?  I recently read that Norway will be restricting cruise ships in Svalbard starting January 1, 2025:  200-passenger limit in protected areas plus restrictions on landing sites, ship speeds in protected areas, and minimum distance from haul-sites for walruses.

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/expedition-cruising/new-svalbard-restrictions-moving-norwegian-parliament-sign

 

Endeavour only holds 200 passengers, but this would affect the capacity of Wind.

Thanks I had read that too. We are going this July! So excited!

 

[FlyerTalker]

The regularly scheduled flights to Longyearbyen (LYR) operate with either A320 or 737 aircraft, and given the 8000 ft runway, I would expect similar aircraft for a charter from either Oslo (OSL) or Tromso (TSO)

 

As for flight time, it's about 3 hours non-stop from OSL -- the only way you have a four hour flight time is if you are routing with a stop in TSO.

 

The Antarctica charter was a 2-3 config because they needed to use a Bae-146 for its STOL capabilities.  No such operators in Norway, TTBOMK.

 

 

[flydc]

Thanks for the info. I understand why they use the Bae146 in Antarctica. The flights to Puerto Williams were much different than what other cruise lines offer to Ushuaia on the Argentina side.

 

Still interested in how they operate (and who operates) the charters in Norway? I understand it is likely a Boeing or Airbus but hopefully they block the middle seat as they do on other flights. Would hate to be jammed in. That wouldn't be the premium experience that you would expect from Silversea. That being said, they would need to operate more than one flight in order to get (up to) 274 guests from Oslo to Longyearbyen. 

[Port Power]

55 minutes ago, flydc said:

Thanks for the info. I understand why they use the Bae146 in Antarctica. The flights to Puerto Williams were much different than what other cruise lines offer to Ushuaia on the Argentina side.

 

Still interested in how they operate (and who operates) the charters in Norway? I understand it is likely a Boeing or Airbus but hopefully they block the middle seat as they do on other flights. Would hate to be jammed in. That wouldn't be the premium experience that you would expect from Silversea. That being said, they would need to operate more than one flight in order to get (up to) 274 guests from Oslo to Longyearbyen. 

I’m doing this expedition cruise in June, with the charter flight to Oslo at the end. I’ll report back on my experience.

[flydc]

8 minutes ago, Port Power said:

I’m doing this expedition cruise in June, with the charter flight to Oslo at the end. I’ll report back on my experience.

Thanks so much!

[flydc]

Got the following from Silversea today:

 

"We have a charter scheduled with Enter Air, this is the same airline as last year. We don’t have the configuration, but the aircraft is expected with 180 passengers. A meal is provided with drinks but the exact menu is not available. We expect the plane to be full and middle seats will not be blocked. If needed, additional seats will be provided with SAS on a scheduled flight."

 

So here's what I found with some further online investigating...

Enter Air is a reputable charter airline based in Poland. According to their website, they operate 737 aircraft with 189 seats. When you google 737 with 189 seats - it's the same as TUI. Which means a 28 inch pitch with non-reclining seats. 

 

I think it's going to be the longest 2:55 flight I've experienced in a long, long time! Luckily only in one direction and we have the Arctic waiting for us on arrival! 

 

Looking forward to hearing what others have to say of their experience and I will be sure to report back on how ours went!