Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions (ALE) says it is studying the use of conventional passenger aircraft for its flights from Punta Arenas in Chile to Union Glacier airstrip in Antarctica.

Though flights to the blue-ice airfield are usually operated by Il-76TDs and Lockheed Hercules L-382Gs, the firm, in partnership with Loftleidir Icelandic (Reykjavik Keflavik), was able to successfully land a B757-200(ER), TF-FIN (msn 28989), there last week.

"The B757-200(ER) flight was undertaken to prove the feasibility of landing commercial passenger airliners at Union Glacier, as part of a larger investigation into the use of such aircraft for ALE’s Antarctic operations," it said.

Union Glacier airstrip, which has been certified to handle commercial flights by the Chilean civil aviation authority (DGAC), is operated by ALE.