Air service, to and from The British Paradise Islands

from The Essential Paradise, series sourcebook

British Paradise Islands Territorial Ministry of Tourist Affairs

Doc. 2.64. Flying high: Scheduled air service, to and from the territory
The following are regularly-scheduled commercial passenger flights to and from the territory.

Air-traffic control
All overseas passenger flights arrive and depart from Paradise Trans-Oceanic Airport on Morning Island (code ‘BPI’). The air-traffic landing pattern is usually clockwise, from the southwest, to effect landings on Runway 11, the secondary approaching being to Runway 07. To avoid aircraft noise over tourist and business areas landings are rarely routed to 25. Most commercial takeoffs are effected from 11 so as to avoid the high ground of the Avon Range at the centre of the island. In emergencies, flight operations may be conducted on 08/26 at the RAF base three kilometres northwest.

Arrivals and departures are scheduled so that no two commercial passenger flights are in the traffic pattern together; most cargo flights are scheduled during off-peak hours. The Vancouver flights are the only ones scheduled during or near hours of darkness.

Flights stopping in Paradise generally return to the point of origin; the territory is not used as a mid-ocean refueling stop for flights not otherwise meant to land there. Typically all aircraft are provided with nominal tarmac service including replenishment of fuel; hence they will be grounded (all passengers disembarked) approximately one hour.

Arrivals
Passengers disembark the aeroplanes on the tarmac via mobile stairways so as to have an immediate, firsthand experience with the local weather, which is generally clear, sunny and hot. The airport tarmac gives a fabulous view of the green heath, rugged hills to the north and west, and the endless blue Pacific Ocean over the runway to the southeast.

Customs and immigration procedures are conducted at the Sir Jonathan C Cavaliere Paradise Hospitality Terminal adjacent to the airport, from which buses and taxis may convey visitors and returning locals to Casino resorts, New London business and governmental offices, or the Paradise Transport terminal at Governor’s Harbour from which bus routes extend farther into the territory.

Schedules
Local arrival and departure times are given in bold face.

San Diego SAN (+2 h) via British Air, 4718 km [2932 nm]; flight time 5 h 40 m

 * Dep. SAN: †TH 07.20 / †TH 06.20
 * Arr. BPI: †TH 13.00 / †TH 12.00
 * Dep. BPI: †TH 14.00 / †TH 13.00
 * Arr. SAN: †TH 19.40 / †TH 18.40

London LHR (+9 h) via British Air, 13730 km [8532 nm]; total time 16 h (‘VIP’ ; 1 stop)

 * Dep. LHR: MWF 07.00 / MWF 22.00
 * Arr. BPI: THS 00.00 / MWF 15.00
 * Dep. BPI: THS 01.00 / MWF 16.00
 * Arr. LHR: THS 18.00 / THS 09.00

Auckland AKL (+21 h) via Air New Zealand, 6416 km [3467 nm]; flight time 7 h 35 m

 * Dep. AKL: TF 22.10 / TF 00.10
 * Arr. BPI: WS 04.45 / TF 07.45
 * Dep. BPI: WS 05.45 / TF 08.45
 * Arr. AKL: WS 13.20 / TF 16.20

Tokyo HND (+18 h) via British Air, 10576 km [5715 nm]; flight time 12 h 30 m)

 * Dep. HND: WS 15.30 / TF 21.30
 * Arr. BPI: H† 04.00 / WS 10.00
 * Dep. BPI: H† 05.00 / WS 11.00
 * Arr. HND: H† 17.30 / WS 23.30

Vancouver YVR (+2 h) via Air Canada, 6495 km [3791 nm]; flight time 9 h 10 m

 * Dep. YVR: THS 12.30 / THS 11.30
 * Arr. BPI: THS 21.40 / THS 20.40
 * Dep. BPI: THS 22.40 / THS 21.40
 * Arr. YVR: THS 07.50 / THS 06.50

Sydney SYD (+19 h ) via Qantas, 8478 km [4581 nm]; flight time 7 h 40 m
* * *
 * Dep. SYD: MH 17.50 / MH 00.50
 * Arr. BPI: TF 13.30 / MH 08.30
 * Dep. BPI: TF 14.30 / MH 09.30
 * Arr. SYD: TF 22.10 / MH 17.10