Glacier Country Helicopters — Attraction in South Island

Knowing we had one full day here in Franz Joseph the glacier was at the top of our list. We researched all the companies that do chopper tours. There’s actually a lot of them. But we ultimately went with Glacier because it seemed a good fit. Small company. Impeccable safety standards and great people.

So when you check in it’s all smooth. They show you a safety video and go over the rules. No backpacks, selfie sticks or bags of any kind are allowed on the flight. No exceptions. Straight forward. They will hold your belongings until you return. So no worries there.

Also make sure to dress appropriately. We figured it gets cold on a glacier. Apparently not in January. Lol. We went dressed like we were set to climb Everest. Lol. Turns out it was shorts and T-shirt weather up there. So they held our coats. Make sure to call ahead and see what to wear. I’m sure it’s different all season.

Once the video was over that take your name and you step on a scale. Only the lady behind the counter can see the results so don’t worry about a mess of strangers. Finding out the truth. Lol.

Then you put an emergency contact so that if anything should happen your coats get sent to your next of kin.

Then you get in to the Hiace van with Erin. Sorry for the spelling if I got it wrong. He gives you a detailed overview of where you’re sitting, how to board along with some other ground rules. He also gives a lot of history on the area and the glacier on the ride to the helipad.

Once there you’re out in this holding pen awaiting your chopper. We boarded as instructed and got up in the air quickly. Captain Dion Flower! Sounds like a lead guitarist from a 70’s rock band. But instead of rocking out with an axe his ax is his yolk and we’ll I don’t know where I was going with that, so let’s leave it alone. Forget that happened.

Captain Flower gave us instructions while in flight in also what to expect when we landed. Then he told us to enjoy the ride while he gave us play by play if what we were seeing. When we landed he told us he would take some photos and outfit them in a cute booklet. If we wanted them it’s $20. If not that’s ok too.

Once we landed he gave instructions and guided us away from the chopper. Then, snowball fight time! We had a blast. We ended getting the photos which he took and printed from the chopper before we even left the glacier. Amazing.

On the way back he thanked us and got us down safely. Now I know there are other options but for me this company was amazing. The whole staff was always smiling. And not the “I just took your money” smile. But they are really happy to be doing what they do and it shows.

An amazing memorable time we will Never forget. My 10 year old was so in awe of flying around and landing in a glacier. I’m glad I got to see him have so much fun.

I still think Dion Flower may have been in Led Zeppelin. Anyone know for sure?

Book then you won’t be...

Bad review mainly reflecting on 2 areas. The bad overall customer service coming directly from Meaghan. From the moment we walked in (unfortunately 10 minutes late to the 30 min early check-in which we weren’t aware of! Here we were thinking we were early!) immediately met with YOUR LATE YOU MISSED YOUR FLIGHT- YOU MISSED YOUR FLIGHT … the irony being we were on a helicopter for our 9:15 departure as booked!!! Meagan was huffing and puffing and muttering to herself the entire time we were in the office. Some people aren’t cut out for customer service , and that’s okay so long as they don’t serve such a position. From my understanding it was her husband who was our pilot - lovely fella and great pilot! The lack of communication. Regardless of being “late” communicating is important. We booked and paid for a 60 min flight - particularly because we wanted to have TWO snow landing and see particular items that are only offered in that flight option- lord of the rings item in particular. Weather had its own plans which happens and without notifying us prior or offering us which other option we’d prefer given the circumstances, we we’re just blindly put on a helicopter assuming we we’re doing what we paid for. Only once we landed did we realize our actual experience is not what we paid for. We brought it up then and we’re notified that we’d be reimbursed the difference. However even though everything we actually did would have been covered in the 25 min tour - or being generous on the 35 min tour, they said ur trip was 45 minutes cuz they left us on the landing standing there for 10 extra minutes. We did not do the TWO landings or the extra lord of the rings items, but we’re charged far more then we ever would have choosen to do if only someone bothered to COMMUNICATE. Again- pilot was lovely and trip itself was nice if we wouldn’t have been sneakily tricked . If I paid for the 25/35 min I would have been just fine with that. Calling to communicate about it and figure it out was met with rudeness from of...

First of all, I enjoyed every second of that flight and at the same time I was a bit disappointed after the flight. Let me explain why: my girlfriend and me had booked the 45 minute scenic flight. We were 5 people on that flight and at the same time a 30 minute flight also was provided which was booked by 6 people. We were driven to the helipad in the same vehicle. The 30 minutes flight was loaded in their helicopter before us and also departed before us. When we were back( after 30 minutes) the 30 min flight was still flying and we waited until they also landed after in total 45 minutes. My first thought was, ok, weather was not perfect and due to some clouds we were not able to fulfil the full 45 minutes, but when the other heli came back later, that argument did not work any more. So I talked to the ladies in the office and tried to understand why our flight was more expensive, but shorter than the other one. They did not really provide an answer but said that everything was correct. I’m pretty sure they mixed the helicopter’s, we were in the one which made the 30 minutes flight and the other group, which booked 30 minutes, made our 45 minutes flight. One guy of the other heli even asked after landing: did you already start? He could not believe that we were already back as we booked the longer flight. Faults can happen, I fully understand, but the flight company was not really open or tried to understand or even clarify why I was asking what happened. As they offer very specific options regarding flight duration and what to expect on the flight, I also expect it to happen like that. Somehow I did not get what I was paying for. In the end they gave me 50 bugs (per person, 100 in total) without asking for it. That was kind, but gave me the feeling they realised their mistake but did not want to admit it. So I remember the flight itself as a very special experience! But next time I would fly with...