Flying to the “Roof of the World”: Tibet

Join me on an exciting flight on board Tibet Airlines to the Roof of the World, Tibet. I boarded the Tibet Airlines A330 early in Chengdu. The captain shared some useful flight information on our flight to Lhasa. Flying to Tibet is known to be one of the most challenging flights due to its high terrain and rapidly changing weather conditions. The navigation to Tibet is by Required navigation performance (RNP), which uses satellite instead of ground-based navigation aids for better accuracy. Lhasa is known to be difficult in the dry season due to high winds, and the route is subject to much turbulence. During the flight, a lovely breakfast was served, and I took the opportunity to explore all the in-flight services offered by Tibet Airlines. I spoke with one of the Tibetan cabin crew and learnt a few Tibetan words. The purser shared some tips on how to overcome hypoxia, a symptom associated with high altitude. Landing in Lhasa was nothing short of spectacular. The runway at Gonggar Airport is 4,000m (13,000ft) long. After landing, I explored around the airport and toured Lhasa city.