Fly to the World's HIGHEST Airport - Daocheng Yading
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Join me to fly to the World's Highest Airport - Daocheng Yading Airport in China. Daocheng (DCY) airport is in the Western part of China at 4,411m (14,472 ft). Daocheng is the highest commercial airport in the world.
Sichuan Airlines fly to Daocheng from Chengdu regularly on their A319. I was able to go to the cockpit to interview the captain about the difficulties of flying into this high altitude airports. The crew require to wear oxygen masks during flight critical times (takeoff/landing) at Daocheng. Currently 6 out of World's top 10 airports is in China.
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Join me for a very exciting video detailing my journey from Chengdu Airport in China to the world’s highest civilian airport, Daocheng Yading airport, in the Daocheng County of Sichuan, China with Sichuan Airlines. As you’ll see throughout the video, I am so proud to have been able to make it to this flagship airport of the world and I am not left disappointed by the stunning views offered by this remote airport, which is a staggering 4,411 metres above sea level.
Daocheng Yading airport was approved for construction in April 2011 and cost $255 million to build. It was officially opened in September 2013 and made the journey between Chengdu and Daocheng much better, reducing it from a two day bus trip to a one hour aeroplane journey. The airport features a single runway 4,200 metres long and its terminal building spans over 5000 square meters, with capacity for handling 280,000 passengers a year.
After a traditional and filling Chinese breakfast at Chengdu, including such delicious delicacies as duck and rabbit, and receiving a little reassurance from a Tibetan man taking the same trip (I confess, I was a little nervous regarding the potential high altitude sickness) I board the aeroplane and I discuss with the captain the serious nature of the challenges which flying to such an extreme airport poses.
He tells me that the hazards posed by the airport are so serious that flights there are composed of two captains, rather than a captain and a first officer, and that only the most experienced pilots may make the journey, the airport being classified by Sichuan airlines as in the top tier of three for experience required. Although the approach to the airport is relatively straightforward, the low temperatures for much of the year (as cold as -30 degrees Celsius in winter) causes hazardous ice to appear on the runway, along with low freezing fog and thick cloud which seriously impairs visibility. Due to the altitude, both passengers and pilots have the option of breathing oxygen from bottles stored on the flight for the purpose.
My flight is quite sparsely populated, with only sixty people on board - even at this time of year, at this altitude, the temperature is still too low for most tourists, although things do get busier in high summer.
I am entertained by the soft, plush toys shown to me by the air stewardesses of the aeroplane and a number of pandas. Recently, Sichuan airlines have been doing a lot of panda related things. In September 2018, Sichuan airlines even launched a special “Panda Route,” which made use of an Airbus A350 covered in a cute panda livery and with air staff wearing panda themed uniforms and serving panda themed food. Look out for the air stewardess wearing a panda jumper in this video!
After arriving at Daocheng Yading airport, I watch the aeroplane depart and take the time to admire the beautiful airport terminal building. From the outside, it looks very modern, almost like a UFO or spaceship and everyone looks like they’re having a great time, posing for photos by a special rock which dedicates the airport and reminds people of its altitude.
It’s the best feeling to be this high up on the Earth and I am so grateful to the very kind Sichuan Airlines staff who made my journey there and back so comfortable and enjoyable. I hope you enjoyed the experience and please let me know your thoughts and comments beneath this video. Thank you very much for watching!
Пікірлер: 1 500
The captain's name is Gao Fei --- in Chinese it means "fly high" and no, it's not a joke, it's a common name!
@ku-1500
5 жыл бұрын
高飛，a very lucky and common name among people with the surname Gao.
@SamChui
5 жыл бұрын
Yes, nice to pick up his name. We have very fitting captain name for the flight! no kidding!
@MrClijun
5 жыл бұрын
born for this job
@davidwang8914
5 жыл бұрын
it's also the name of Goofy in chinese
@jackbraga8637
5 жыл бұрын
@@davidwang8914 Precisely
Aw Mr. Chui I enjoy your channel so very much. Before I was disabled (in wheelchair now...don't feel sorry for me ...I beat cancer)I loved to travel the world. My father was an aeronautical engineer. I got the airplane "bug" early in my life. I can't tell you what joy your channel gives me. You have given the air back to me. I love your enthusiasm. I love how you are always kind and humble. Every aspect of your videos are enjoyable. How you interact with All people you come in contact. I don't leave comments often but be reassured that I am left smiling after each of your videos. You have become like a favorite nephew. It has been my wish to take this flight to Daocheng Yading. Thank you so very much for taking me and letting me have the window seat lol. So much joy and memories like when my father took me flying for the first time. To be above the clouds! There truly are few things that can make your heart beat faster and for you to realise what a small speck you are in the universe. Great video as usual but more special. I never miss your videos. And always try to remember to give a thumbs up. Keep being the good man you are and keep taking me with you.
@gaiusjuliuscaesar4000
4 жыл бұрын
Underrated comment.
@awakening333
4 жыл бұрын
You are a beacon light to those recovering from cancer. Your optimism is inspiring.
@cmercierracing
4 жыл бұрын
I’m happy that you beat cancer!
@alexj1650
3 жыл бұрын
Im so happy for you beating cancer!
@libin6492
3 жыл бұрын
God bless you 🙏
I’ll bless you when you come to Pyongyang
@freds9068
5 жыл бұрын
Lol
@akabill79
5 жыл бұрын
Hi Mr Kim you actually sorta look like Sam! #stuntdouble
@adnan3335
5 жыл бұрын
I love you Kim Jong- un😉
@der_Hague
5 жыл бұрын
I LOVE YOU
@mrvwbug4423
5 жыл бұрын
Sam's already been there
Probably the smoothest landing I've ever seen in my life, camera didn't even shake a little bit, wouldn't know the plane touched down without the audio.
Sam to Monk "Can you bless me going to the worlds highest airport ?" Monk: "You'll be fine" looooll
@akabill79
5 жыл бұрын
I love how this video has now become about that Monk so funny !!
@SamChui
5 жыл бұрын
LOL. I know you guys will pick up this line!
@notmartin1440
5 жыл бұрын
@@SamChui SAM: 我第一次去那么高的机场，你能祝福我吗？ Monk: 你没事的...
@onYaFace2023
5 жыл бұрын
lmao
@janakakumara3836
5 жыл бұрын
That monk was not very monk-like. Looked more like a sleazy businessman. I bet if Sam offered him money, he would have blessed him.
Kind of cool to hear Sam speak so much Chinese.
@ptrs559
5 жыл бұрын
Noted he was speaking Mandarin, not his native Cantonese.
@benduncan4027
5 жыл бұрын
@@ptrs559 Is Cantonese his native ?
@SamChui
5 жыл бұрын
Oh really, hope you like it. I have one more all chinese vlog coming out on Sichuan Airlines A350 "Panda"
@indyracingnut
5 жыл бұрын
@@SamChui Thanks Sam! I don't get to fly much, but I honestly would give anything to take a flight with you one day. You and Paul. You guys' videos allow me to travel the world on airlines and planes that I will most likely never be able to go. And hearing you speak Chinese really warmed my heart. Cheers from Richmond, Virginia, USA 谢谢
@doejoan2542
5 жыл бұрын
Mike Peters He actually born in Beijing, his Mandarin is native level
8:45 I can't even tell if the airplane landed or not, it was so smooth!
@daniboy318
3 жыл бұрын
The Airplane think IT was ‘’retard’’ landing
is nobody gonna talk about how insanely smooth that landing was?
The landing was so smooth. Thumb up to the captain
@tgktun5802
4 жыл бұрын
Butter
@sftgolfer2000
4 жыл бұрын
Swiss001?
@VinceBEdano
4 жыл бұрын
the runway is also smooth
@user-xs6oi1pq7l
4 жыл бұрын
Thirdy Edaño but he overshoot a bit
@fsg7710
3 жыл бұрын
Butter! I agree
Man : please bless me Monk : you'll be fine My lord I've been laughing 5 minutes straight 😂
@marknesselhaus4376
5 жыл бұрын
That has to be the most straight forward blessing in history :-)
@SamChui
5 жыл бұрын
Haha good I make you laugh :)
@DJItaloxalnatural
5 жыл бұрын
@@SamChui I laughed at this also! the monk was like: naaah, don't worry, you'll be fine, no need no blessing son! hahahahah
@Cwalking
5 жыл бұрын
Me Yes it's me haha
@TivanYellow
4 жыл бұрын
@@SamChui tickle tickle 😁
12:27 i dont understand anything but her voice is so heartwarming, beautiful
Perfect landing...Not even a slightest shake in the camera.Superb Captain Gao Fei
@colonelsunders2352
4 жыл бұрын
BUTTER
@michaelmckay
4 жыл бұрын
@@colonelsunders2352 Happy some one else beat me to comment this. airforceproud95!
@gamingsquad3684
4 жыл бұрын
Every time the plane I'm riding lands it just slams the runway and everything shakes for a second and that plane just landed like butter pretty epic
@windywendi
3 жыл бұрын
This is a relatively new airport, so the runway is paved nicely.
@dunnobutwayne
3 жыл бұрын
the camera is on a gimbal
Those flight attendants had such nice smiles.
@allenl9214
4 жыл бұрын
Asian countries air hostesses are the cutest... I fall in love everytime I travel to Asia 🤣🤣
@ymhktravel
4 жыл бұрын
@@allenl9214 European ones I flew with hardly smile.
@waterheaterservices
4 жыл бұрын
They are so adorable
@NintendoFanboy21
4 жыл бұрын
@@allenl9214 I love their asses
@allenl9214
4 жыл бұрын
@@NintendoFanboy21 you perv.. go seek professional help before it ruins you xD
Wow!! Thank you to Capt. Gao Fei (and his crews and Sichuan Airlines) for explaining and showing us the cockpit! Thanks to Mr. Sam for showing great stuff as always!! Blessings.
Me: I think I'm gonna go for a walk on the neighbourhood. Sam: I think I'm gonna go for a walk on the highest airport on earth.
I live in Chengdu and I really love Sichuan Airlines 😄😄😄😄😄
@whokilledmax
5 жыл бұрын
@@onlyrandomnessaccount9029 Same as this blogger，use VPN.
@allenl9214
4 жыл бұрын
@@onlyrandomnessaccount9029 Chinese police caught him.. He hasnt replies back xD
@aizheli1192
4 жыл бұрын
access no, Chinese police will not take care about that! I always do that and nothing happens!
@yingli7386
4 жыл бұрын
Primitive Bangladesh boy Everyone Yes we can use KZread/Facebook/Twitter everyday if we want.
@user-ex3db7sy3o
4 жыл бұрын
@@onlyrandomnessaccount9029I am a police officer in Chengdu, China ~ There is no law against you doing this(use VPN)
Sam: Oh, everything is so challenging on this flight! Everybody: actually its routine. No problem... Great video again! Thanks!
Chinese airline pilots have excellent landing technique. If you watch youtube compilations of "best airline landings" you'll see plenty of Chinese airlines represented
@shockwave5484
5 жыл бұрын
meanwhile in eu we have ryanair
@klauspendolo1393
5 жыл бұрын
Well youtube wouldn’t be my first choice for judging airline pilots skill lol....I think there’s many good pilots in the world, it’s a narrow point if view to say only chinese pilots are good. After all, the aeroplane and Airlines companies are a product of the West not China, where that came later.
@judelu7255
5 жыл бұрын
Klaus Pallesen well it’s a bit different for China. Most of the commercial pilots are retired fighter jet pilots, because there’s few pilot academies in China.
@user-tr-s7j
5 жыл бұрын
Um I dont think so
@rtgtx
5 жыл бұрын
@@klauspendolo1393 I did not see anyone say "only" chinese pilots are good
Me: “Can you bless me before I free fall into a volcano?” Monk: “Youll be fine”
smooth landing, beautiful airport, and amazing views through out the flights wow !!
Dang!! Nice airport at 4k altitude!! Landing was so smooth!!!
Amazing pilot. Thanks for the clip Sam!
Loved the the flight attendants uniforms and they were all very attractive. Another fine job Sam.
@gordongaming4086
5 жыл бұрын
steelepls the pilot has a a350 keychain. Wrong plane.
@flyingmeatball8905
4 жыл бұрын
Love the panda apron 🐼
Your passenger window was amazingly clean. You got some great mountain and cloud footage there. I fly domestically in the US and it has bee a long time since I looked through one that is that clean. You are my favorite youtuber! Keep up the excellent work!
Sam being able to get interviews with pilots is always such a luxury for us viewers.
The terrain is insanely beautiful.
You’ve never missed to release great content Sam! Been waiting for this content! Hope to fly to Daocheng in the near future!
The monk’s response...savage XD
The airport is at 4,411 m. That is really high! Very interesting information from the Captain. Sichuan Airlines offers a great and very friendly service. Fantastic video Sam! Huge like from me, Cheers Matt
@SamChui
5 жыл бұрын
thank you Matt!
@matthiashaenni
5 жыл бұрын
@@adrianocondorelli Yes higher than Lukla. I compare it to the Jungfraujoch. This is one of the highest railway stations at 3'466 m. The most common health issue is the lack of oxygen up there. Daocheng Yading Airport is even over 1'000 m higher. So this is absolutely incredible.
@sigmalew6651
4 жыл бұрын
Also known as the best catering service of all Chinese airlines
@TheGecko213
4 жыл бұрын
@@adrianocondorelli Everest is twice as high, idiot
12:29 Super pretty cute sweety flight attendance lady, and super authentic and extremely fluent mandarin... I love this girl
@kumalee370
5 жыл бұрын
dont fall in love with her, shut up, she is my wife. hahaha
Congrats Sam, great work!!
Oh Sam, that was so cool!!! In my younger days I could have done that. Good for you accomplishing that and I got to watch from my recliner!!! Thanks man!
Great Report SAM. And you speak the language too.
@user-jm8qm1ur1g
5 жыл бұрын
uknewslink Sam was born in Beijing, and lived in Beijing when he was young.
Thank you Sam for bringing me this exciting experience! As a Chinese, I did not know this airport before:) Subscribed!
Loved the pilots explaining thanks ! 😊
Nice job Sam. As usual, thanks for all your content
Fantastic video Sam. Amazing how the highest terminal in the world is better than most at ground level. Keep up the great work.
Hi Sam, I live in La Paz, Bolivia (big fan of your videos)... our city has the world's highest commercial airport outside China. Interestingly, the topography is very similar to the one I just watched in this video. Our airport is about 4,200m above sea level and because it serves our nation's defecto capital and most important city it is a very busy one. American Airlines pilots used to use oxygen the whole time their plane was in platform, no other airline does this so I believe its not necessary and is a sort of strange procedure. Hope you come to Bolivia sometime and experience our airports and national carriers. Best
@dianaarash8826
2 жыл бұрын
Hi greeting from Indonesia. Im always curious about Bolivia can you tell me more ? I have been to latin america countries and maybe Bolivia will be next
@stevenz9521
2 жыл бұрын
I had been there before. That was a awesome experience for me. Love there
Been waiting for this one. Great review!
Awesome. Thanks for this video.
Sam, Thanks for a new review of a place I will most likely never get to.
I love that Sam is using his sponsor as a tip for getting around the Great Firewall. XD
Wow.. Thanks for sharing this Sam.
Great video! I love the interview segments!
When Sam had almost flown all the major airlines to all the major destinations I was thinking what's left for Sam or matter of fact content for his channel but I was utterly wrong he has surprised us all this Channel infact is becoming more and more interesting .👍👌✌️
Sam, It's such a pleasure to watch all your video post, this is a special one today. I feel so happy watching it today, something we might just dream of doing it ever. Thank you so much for sharing. Good luck 👍
That was amazing... thank you for sharing Sam.
That was an interesting interview with the captain. Well done!
Hi Sam, Great Video as always! Thank you! I have flown to Lijiang twice, airport only at 2000 metres plus. I have been up to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain at 4506 metres twice and climbed the platforms higher, with no oxygen assistance! I believe the key is to acclimatise first as on both occasions I have stayed 2 weeks and only attempted the chairlift up to the mountain on the 2nd week. I was also born on in Australia on a small mountain range Toowoomba. I am unsure wether that has contributed to my altitude tolerance or whether it is just due to acclimatising first. I have also trekked to Base Camp of Mount Everest twice. Keep up the great work!
My first flying travel is this line. From Chengdu to Daocheng Yading. When I get off the plane, my head is so pain！
Great job on your amazing video (as always), Sam!! :)
Amazing learning experience. More vlogs like this would be awesome. Out of the way off main line routes.
I had a similar experience to sam: I landed at Alejandro Velasco Astete international airport (why are all airport names in South America so long!??) and when you’re going down the 3,400m runway at landing, it was really fast and it was quite a while of manual hand-flying before we actually landed there. The pilots hand fly the plane over the city of Cusco giving a spectacular view of the city! I talked to the captain on my flight to Bogotá, and he explained to me how the approach and takeoff is done. He also showed me the flight route and alternate airport in the case of an engine failure. One interesting thing to note is that he mentioned the CFM engines don’t work very well at high altitude landings, so all of the A320s belonging to Avianca use IAE V2500 engines.
ANOTHER BANGING VIDEO GREAT VIDEO AND GREAT CONTENT GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
@nitrokiller3929
5 жыл бұрын
Waffle boii Ralph!!!!!
Great work man. Thanks for the experience.
I was born in Sichuan and this video really makes me homesick. Everybody was so nice in this trip just as how I remembered. Great content!
As in the movie "The Last Samurai", officer,"Samurai come." Ned,"You'll be fine son." (Sam and the monk)
Captain’s name literally means fly high in Chinese, how fitting and natural
Thanks Sam, incredible terrain.
Nice work Sam!
Hi Sam, thank you so much. Loved the video. Thanks to you I got to experience the world's highest airport. It's definitely on my bucket list if places to visit. Thanks a lot. Cheers. Mahesh, India
Condolence and prayers for the victims of the earthquake.
Really love your video! I like how your video brings out the positive energy to the viewers. Very comfortable to watch!
Wow great vid Sam
看了这个视频我突然发现世界前几高的机场我基本都去过，哈哈哈
@aizheli1192
4 жыл бұрын
中国的优势嘛！我还没去过稻城亚丁呢！
@leepi4645
4 жыл бұрын
@(6D21) Yuyang Rao 还真去过
@sarthsingh3271
4 жыл бұрын
あà絵を。さらにパワーアップはないことを明らかになった所
46th! Keep up the great work, Sam!
Lovely vid sam...continue this great JOB
Looks fun. Thanks for the video.
Hi sam i am avation lover love your vids
Love you sam, big fan from Bangladesh
grreat video! The crew is very professional!!
that's such a smooth landing..
I'm surprised that they managed to build an airport on that remote place in the Himalayas, just imagine how hard the logistic for workers who build that airport.
@rcl998
5 жыл бұрын
yup, in terms of cost effectiveness it does not worth it, it's a small city with low population and the cost to build that airport is super high compared to usual airports, but China needs the area to be stable so they have to make it possible however.
@haha-eg8fj
5 жыл бұрын
That is not in the himalayas. It is in sichuan.
@ArghyadeepPal
4 жыл бұрын
But the thing is even if it is at that high elevation, the land is pretty flat compared to down South of the Himalayas near Nepal and the Indian border, where it is pretty rugged..
@erbium4308
3 жыл бұрын
@@ArghyadeepPal did you even watch the video? Western Sichuan and the hengduan mountains is extremely rugged, just as rugged as Nepal, if not more. China is just much more prosperous than Nepal or India that they’re able to build airports in terrain like this. Tibet on the other hand is more flat and more of a plateau.
@poli4869
2 жыл бұрын
@@rcl998 Daocheng yading is very hot tourism spot, plus the place is on the halfway of the Sichusn-tibet road, which is quite well built. So it is not.that costly to.build the airport, and economically it makes sense too.
Airport in my town is about 2000 meters. It takes the planes a lot longer to take off than at sea level. This has to take a lot longer to take off here.
Congratulations Sam. Great video.
Awesome Video Sam!
Ironically I am currently in Chengdu and the air looks much cleaner in Daochang Yading than here in Chengdu. Fist time in China for me.
Wonderful experience and great video sam•~malay~
@FunnyGarden01
5 жыл бұрын
Terbaik ‼️
@HaziqCTID
5 жыл бұрын
layann
Thankyou Sam for taking us to remote and random locations .Sharing the aviation experience🖤💜👍
Awesome Video!
Congratulations Sam Mission accomplished.....
Hey Sam! Another fabulous video. Could you please tell the take-off speed from this world´s highest airport?
Great video, the scenery from the plan is breathtaking, thanks for sharing.
Great Video. Thank you for posting.
Advertising a VPN on a Chinese video, love it!
@yang5616
5 жыл бұрын
lol
@peekaboopeekaboo1165
5 жыл бұрын
KZread is not Chinese. Nor operating from China. Subject is about "Chinese video".
those flight attendants are red HOT
@gamingsquad3684
4 жыл бұрын
Oh gosh ._.
Excellent video Sam! Very interesting! Thank you.
Very skilled and brave pilots - blessings to all of you.
有機會, 我也要跟著Sam的足跡, 飛去稻城亞丁看看那位處世界最高的的機場~~~
@golffans
5 жыл бұрын
Frank C 那里很美
It's so rare to be able to visit the cockpit of a mainland carrier's plane, they are very conservative about cockpit visit in general. Besides, those flights that go to high altitude airports are very pricy.
The landing was crazy smooth
Nice... And informative . Cool vid as always
Sam , could you review Uzbekistan Airways please?
@baghdadbob121
5 жыл бұрын
Vladimir Shamuratov I’ve flown it. Advice don’t! Frankfurt to Tashkent ok Internal flights scary!!!
@manni1859
5 жыл бұрын
I’ve flown both Uzbekistan airways & Turkmenistan airlines... they’re both as bad as each other.
Wow sam i am a big fan of you from india u make very nice videos and are my favourite youtuber
Big up Sam! Such a unique and great content as always
I would love to visit all these wonderful cities you've taken us to Sam. Thank you for sharing your journey.
This English cabin announcement is all for you.
@youmakeitreal
5 жыл бұрын
Yes! I wondered about that! Is it standard on all flights, or did they really do this for Sam's audience? Sam is so cool I bet they did do it just for Sam.
@yipinzhang7610
5 жыл бұрын
@@youmakeitreal I would imagine Sichuan Airlines sent their best captain on this flight. Buy saying best captain, both flying and communicating.
@stevenli4572
5 жыл бұрын
@@youmakeitreal It is standard in most (if not all) domestic flights in China.
@youmakeitreal
5 жыл бұрын
@@stevenli4572 thank you. The level of service appears to be much better in China than the domestic flights here in the United States
@WorldEagleKW
5 жыл бұрын
youmakeitreal no, standard in China. Cause there are many foreigners there.
Since when this airport opened? I live in Chengdu and I had no idea that you can fly to Daocheng now 🙄
@heybenjii5544
4 жыл бұрын
How can you youse Google then?
@yuxiangji6589
4 жыл бұрын
@@heybenjii5544 VPN is quite easy to get in china
@heybenjii5544
4 жыл бұрын
@@yuxiangji6589 Ah, didnt know that
@hillsideonly
3 жыл бұрын
@@yuxiangji6589 but how exactly do People get it if the government does not allow it's sake. Is it shared in private or black market
Oh wow! Nice smooth landing.
that runway looks as smooth as a billiard table,noticed on landing,almost no shaking.