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Anyone been on a flight right when the new year starts?

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Old Dec 31, 2013, 3:32 am
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Anyone been on a flight right when the New Year starts?

Well another year has ended and a New Year is about to begin. Which made me wonder, has anyone, for whatever reason, been on a flight right when a new year dawned (i.e. flying during 0:00 am)?

Interesting enough, I guess one can experience two New Years in a row if you fly from Asia to North America, crossing the dateline in the process. Flying from Tokyo to Toronto on Dec. 31st, for example, you can "arrive" before you took off (given the time difference). So in theory, you can take off on an evening flight on Dec. 31st in Tokyo, experience the new year, cross the dateline, arrive back at Toronto in time for the second new year!

Last edited by WindowSeat123; Dec 31, 2013 at 9:00 pm
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 4:02 am
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The TPAC flights departing around midnight from HND tend to arrive a day earlier than their departure. Otherwise, I don't think the schedules work very well for this. One would ideally like to watch the fireworks, go to the airport, fly, and then land in time to celebrate NYE again. The early morning departures from SIN arrive on the same day they leave, for example DL leaving SIN around 6 am and arriving into the USA in the afternoon after connecting at NRT.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 6:08 am
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Anyone been on a flight right when the new year starts?

Yea HND LAX departs 00.05 and lands 17.00 so you would technically be able to "celebrate" NYE twice.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 6:09 am
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Anyone been on a flight right when the new year starts?

You could also do HND HNL. Departs 00.30..
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 7:50 am
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I have a friend who is flying back to London tonight from NYC. She will experience NYE on the plane. I wonder if Delta will provide champagne?
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 7:58 am
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
The TPAC flights departing around midnight from HND tend to arrive a day earlier than their departure. Otherwise, I don't think the schedules work very well for this. One would ideally like to watch the fireworks, go to the airport, fly, and then land in time to celebrate NYE again. The early morning departures from SIN arrive on the same day they leave, for example DL leaving SIN around 6 am and arriving into the USA in the afternoon after connecting at NRT.
Yeah that is right. Probably not just Tokyo but other Transpacific flights from Asia to North America can theortically do it, depending on the schedule.

Happy New Year btw!
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 8:07 am
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Anyone been on a flight right when the new year starts?

HA 458 departed HND @ 11:55 PM on 12/31, and will arrive in HNL @ 11:47 AM on 12/31.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 8:14 am
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Some years ago I was on a flight from Buenos Aires to Miami that was scheduled to depart at about 11 p.m. on New Year's Eve. If I recall correctly, the flight left late. But I do remember them serving champagne.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 8:29 am
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Anyone been on a flight right when the new year starts?

I left Bali at 11:45pm on Dec 31st......on Jal to nrt.....during my layover on NRt, we watched the ball drop in NY... And once we took off from NRt, we experienced celebrated NY for our final destination (lax).....

We were in biz class, so we had lots of champagne... :-)
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 8:40 am
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Anyone been on a flight right when the new year starts?

1995. Sana'a (Yemen) to Amsterdam on KLM - departure late evening on 31 December arriving early in the morning on 1 January. KLM crew served oliebollen ("oil balls"), a Dutch traditional snack for New Year's Eve.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 8:54 am
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A friend had the opportunity to celebrate it multiple times one year. Not sure exactly how many as he went around the earth some 15 times on New Years Eve.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 10:16 am
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Anyone been on a flight right when the new year starts?

Been once with misskilmo on SN flight from BRU to TLV that landed a few minutes after NYE. Actually my first (and so far only) NYE.

Was a flight filled with school kids noise and too much Israeli hutzpa. The crew was really miserable (i think they got short straw). Went to them before landing, apologized for the noise and mess, and wished them all a happy NYE. don't think it helped.
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 4:15 pm
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Originally Posted by FlyingUnderTheRadar
A friend had the opportunity to celebrate it multiple times one year. Not sure exactly how many as he went around the earth some 15 times on New Years Eve.
Astronaut? Can't imagine the miles...
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 6:08 pm
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Old Dec 31, 2013, 6:17 pm
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Yes in the air at midnight NYE last night.

Also have flown AKL-HNL depart Jan 1 arrive Dec 31.
Some eastbound flights in South Pacific also arrive the calendar day before departure (which causes problems on some booking engines).
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