A special flight organised by the Bonn-based travel agency “Eclipse Reisen” will take off at 19:25 from Cologne/Bonn Airport and will fly at a maximum altitude of 11,000 metres to give guests on board an optimal view of the comet in the night sky.
The 16th March is National Astronomy Day in Germany and airberlin flight AB1000 will be setting off on a very special mission: on this day the two-hour observation flight will offer a particularly good view of the Panstarrs comet. This special flight organised by the Bonn-based travel agency “Eclipse Reisen” (Eclipse Travel) will take off at 19:25 from Cologne/Bonn Airport and will fly at a maximum altitude of 11,000 metres to give guests on board an optimal view of the comet in the night sky. “Panstarrs” gives us the first opportunity in Central Europe since 1997 of observing a bright comet at the optimum stage of its development. There will also be a well-known expert in astronomy on board the flight to answer questions about the comet and other aspects of astronomy.
Angela Weidenbach from “Eclipse Reisen” explains: “At an altitude of 11,000 metres you’ve not only risen above the clouds but you’ve also passed through two thirds of the earth’s atmosphere. This means that the air has a transparent quality which you don’t experience on earth. Even if the comet turns out to be less bright than expected, you will still have a spectacular view of it from aboard our special flight.” The windows of the Boeing 737-700 will be thoroughly cleaned just before take-off to guarantee the best possible view.
Karsten von dem Hagen, Teamleader Sales Ad Hoc Flights at airberlin, has organised numerous special flights for partner companies. “Among our clientele, alongside charter agencies we also have orchestras, football clubs, and cruise companies, for example. This is the first time we are offering a flight to view a comet, however. It is a premiere for me too,” said von dem Hagen. He is working on the project in collaboration with the company Air Partner, which is an international charter agency based near Cologne.
“We are delighted to be able to offer this flight with airberlin on behalf of Eclipse Reisen; it will be an extraordinary experience in flying even for us,” said Sergej Drobjasko, Charter Sales Manager at Air Partner International.
Before take-off there will be a Rhineland-style buffet at the departure gate for the astronomy-loving flight guests. On board during the flight sweet and savoury snacks, soft drinks and tea and coffee will be served.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
