There has been some concern over the potential adverse environmental and ecosystem effects caused by the influx of visitors . Some environmentalists and scientists have made a call for stricter regulations for ships and a tourism quota . The primary response by Antarctic Treaty Parties has been to develop , through their Committee for Environmental Protection and in partnership with IAATO , " site use guidelines " setting landing limits and closed or restricted zones on the more frequently visited sites . Antarctic sightseeing flights ( which did not land ) operated out of Australia and New Zealand until the fatal crash of Air New Zealand Flight 901 in 1979 on Mount Erebus , which killed all 257 aboard . Qantas resumed commercial overflights to Antarctica from Australia in the mid-1990s
Air New Zealand Flight 901
Air New Zealand Flight 901
Antarctica