Australian man uses Auckland Airport as start and finish point for a world record attempt

[Mwenenzi]

One of us?

NZ Herald --> ‘Wasn’t that difficult’: Man attempts world record at Auckland Airport

<snip>
On Tuesday at 3.52am, Melbourne resident Robinson returned to Auckland Airport, where he started his aerial expedition more than two days earlier.

The 65-year-old had just completed an around-the-world trip to break the world record for the fastest circumnavigation by scheduled flights between exact antipodal points - locations diametrically opposite each other on the globe.
<snip>
Starting Saturday afternoon, he travelled from Auckland to the John F Kennedy International Aiport in New York City on a Qantas flight, then to Madrid–Barajas Airport and Málaga Airport with Iberia Airlines, before heading to Doha International Airport to return to Auckland Airport on Qatar Airways.

The journey, which was completely paid for through Robinson’s Qantas frequent flyer points, took 58 hours and 57 minutes - more than three hours faster than the current record, which has been held by two Brits since 2000.
<snip>
On why he chose Auckland Airport as his start and end point, Robinson said it geographically lined up with Spain (as the other antipodal point he had to pass) and the airport has “some of the longest flights in the world”.
<snip>
He booked all his flights under Oneworld Alliance, a global airline alliance comprising 13 member airlines, and they were “interested” in getting involved shortly after their 25th anniversary in December.
<snip>

 

[Flyerwin]

I'm amazed such a record exists. Wait until the supersonic jet comes back...

 

[WilsonM]

Hopefully in J!

 

[justinbrett]

Haven't seen a map so I made one. Only just met the minimum distance (21600 NM) by 203 NM.



Going to get pretty boring when Sunrise starts - SYD-LHR-JFK-SYD.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Depends how Guiness World Records defines antipodal points.

That routing is unlikely to qualify for the record.

Exact or almost exact antipodes cities:

• Christchurch (New Zealand) — A Coruna(Spain)
• Madrid (Spain) — Weber (New Zealand)
• Wellington (New Zealand) — Alaejos (Spain)
• Hong Kong (China) — La Quiaca (Argentina)
• Nelson (New Zealand) — Mogadouro(Portugal)
• Whangarei (New Zealand) — Tangier(Morocco)
• Tauranga (New Zealand) — Jaen (Spain)
• Hamilton (New Zealand) — Cordoba (Spain)
• Junin (Argentina) — Lianyungang (China)
• Ulan Ude (Russia) — Puerto Natales (Chile)
• Masterton (New Zealand) — Segovia (Spain)
• Palembang (Indonesia) — Neiva (Colombia)
• Wuhai (China) — Valdivia (Chile)
• Padang (Indonesia) — Esmeraldas (Ecuador)
• Rafaela (Argentina) — Wuhu (China)
• Galvez (Argentina) — Nanjing (China)

Major cities or capitals close to being antipodes:

• Auckland (New Zealand) — Seville and Malaga (Spain)
• Xi'an (China) — Santiago (Chile)
• Shanghai (China) — Buenos Aires (Argentina)
• Beijing (China) — Bahia Blanca (Argentina)
• Taipei (Taiwan) — Asuncion (Paraguay)
• Bangkok (Thailand) and Phnom Penh(Cambodia) — Lima (Peru)
• Montevideo (Uruguay) — Seoul (South Korea)
• Bogota (Colombia) — Jakarta (Indonesia)
• Suva (Fiji) — Timbuktu (Mali)
• Melbourne and Canberra (Australia) — Azores(Portugal)
• Manila (Philippines) — Cuiaba (Brazil)
• Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) — Cuenca (Ecuador)
• Singapore — Quito (Ecuador)
• Doha (Qatar) — Pitcairn Island (United Kingdom - Overseas Territory)
• Antipodes Island (New Zealand) — Gatteville-le-Phare (France)

Source: Antipodes Map - Tunnel to the other side of the world

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Many years ago I flew NZ akl-lax-lhr-hkg-akl with side trip to Belfast in under 60 hours. Not antipodal points but further distance.

Around the World in Under 60 Hours - FlyerTalk Forums

Trip Reports - Around the World in Under 60 Hours - Index to my trip reports If you like this report, you may be interested in some of my other trip reports. AKL-YYZ with NZ/AC in F & C - my first trip report Europe to Iceland & return on Icelandair (FI) - somewhere different Some FTers DO the...

www.flyertalk.com

 

[Mwenenzi]

Hopefully in J!

Maybe not !!

When Robinson finally arrived home in Melbourne at 8am on Tuesday, he said he was very happy to lie down on his bed.

“I’ve not laid flat for a while.”

 

[Mwenenzi]

Depends how Guiness World Records defines antipodal points.
That routing is unlikely to qualify for the record.
Exact or almost exact antipodes cities:

• Christchurch (New Zealand) — A Coruna(Spain)

Some time last year on NZ TV was some images of a couple walking in some random Spainish paddock being antipode of where they lived or a NZ airport.

 

[Catweazle]

Can someone explain the point of connecting via antipodes cities?

Moreover, isn't there a way to travel around the globe faster than this on commercial flights? Anyone got a better route? Sounds like an AFFer challenge...

Meanwhile, Michael Palin would go the slow way, I feel, and Anthony Bourdain would still be drinking beer at his first stop!

 

[WilsonM]

Can someone explain the point of connecting via antipodes cities?

Moreover, isn't there a way to travel around the globe faster than this on commercial flights? Anyone got a better route? Sounds like an AFFer challenge...

Meanwhile, Michael Palin would go the slow way, I feel, and Anthony Bourdain would still be drinking beer at his first stop!

I think the point is that they travelled to the opposite side of the world rather than simply round the world. The quickest way to do a RTW in the broad sense would probably be SIN-JFK, JFK-SIN as they travel different directions.

 

[justinbrett]

Can someone explain the point of connecting via antipodes cities?

Moreover, isn't there a way to travel around the globe faster than this on commercial flights? Anyone got a better route? Sounds like an AFFer challenge...

Meanwhile, Michael Palin would go the slow way, I feel, and Anthony Bourdain would still be drinking beer at his first stop!

It’s to ensure they meet the minimum distance as stipulated by the appropriate body, the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) - World Air Sports Organisation. It’s defined as the length of the Tropic of Cancer.

I think the point is that they travelled to the opposite side of the world rather than simply round the world. The quickest way to do a RTW in the broad sense would probably be SIN-JFK, JFK-SIN as they travel different directions.

Nope, there is a distance requirement as above.

 

[Himeno]

Can someone explain the point of connecting via antipodes cities?

To get it counted as a world record.

 

[justinbrett]

Ah, I just realised he was trying to break the Guinness WR for antipodal circumnavigation, not the FAI general circumnavigation record.

He was well short of the latter, the record is 44:06 but that involved Concorde flights. The sub-sonic record is 53:14 (also set by Aussies), he took 58+ hours.

Meh. That's not impressive at all.

That youtube creator went on to create a successful series called JetLag, the second season was a circumnavigation race.

 

[i0sam0i]

Ah, I just realised he was trying to break the Guinness WR for antipodal circumnavigation, not the FAI general circumnavigation record.

He was well short of the latter, the record is 44:06 but that involved Concorde flights. The sub-sonic record is 53:14 (also set by Aussies), he took 58+ hours.

Meh. That's not impressive at all.

I understood that he went to the exact antipode spot in the countryside outside of Malaga (antipode to auckland airport / start point) so not just a case of jumping on various planes to circumnavigate.

 

[justinbrett]

I understood that he went to the exact antipode spot in the countryside outside of Malaga (antipode to auckland airport / start point) so not just a case of jumping on various planes to circumnavigate.

Which is much less impressive.