With travel to Singapore still heavily restricted, Singapore Airlines is looking into three-hour flights…to nowhere.
Singapore Airlines Considers Flights To Nowhere
With pent-up travel demand and airplanes sitting idle, Singapore Airlines is exploring the possibility of offering scenic flights from Singapore…to Singapore. A survey recently found 75% of citizens would be willing to pay for a flight to nowhere, just to get back in the air and experience one element of travel again.
Though Singapore is tight-lipped about its plans, it has confirmed to that it is exploring such options. A spokesperson told the The Straits Times:
“SIA is considering several initiatives that would allow us to continue engaging both our customers and members of the public.”
“We will make an announcement at the appropriate time if we go ahead with these plans.”
The flights would reportedly be about three-hours in length and include all the elements of a “real” flight including meal service and access to the KrisWorld in-flight-entertainment library. Singapore Airlines has not indicated what aircraft might be used, but has indicated such flights could begin as early as October.
The state of Singapore has offered citizens travel credit, which Singapore Airlines hopes could be applied to these flights to nowhere. In fact, Singapore Airlines is exploring options to bundle packages that include limo transports and hotel stays with its flights to nowhere.
We’ve seen similar “fake” flights on EVA in Taiwan, although those flights do not actually leave the ground.
CONCLUSION
Desperate time call for desperate measures? Obviously, such flights would be cannon fodder for environmental advocates, but I would expect such flights to sell out immediately. I don’t think these flights would be huge revenue generators, but they would at least pay for themselves and generate positive publicity and greater anticipation of the day when the skies will re-open once again.
Would you hop on a flight to nowhere?
(H/T: SINJim)
Given the vast number of crazy troll comments many of your recent posts have attracted I’m a little hesitant to wade into this but I’m not sure you’re right on the cannon fodder statement. The planes – and pilots – need to fly periodically to remain current and operational, so why not generate some revenue in the process? As a counterpoint to environmental concerns, Singapore is flying much less than normal, which is great for the environment.
I would not because of Covid-19.
In previous years, I would IF there’s some scenic views. At least circle around Singapore and fly over the Straits of Malacca and Batam Island in Indonesia. But to fly high, over the clouds, no.
Once I had a very frightening flight experience in Bangkok. There were unable to understand English and me, thai. Somehow I managed to catch my flight to Phuket after sprinting like an athlete.
That photo is unrealistic. SQ FAs are not allowed to wear their hair down. Must always be pinned up, it seems, unless it’s too short to be pinned. Very odd. Don’t know why.
I use to take a lot of fights to no where in particular when I was mileage running. In the light of an earlier blog, I might not be adverse to a 12 hour flight which just flew 6 hours out and back leaving at 8:00 PM in internationl business. If I wanted to work I could spend $25-50 for the’internet’ or just have a ‘few’ drinks along with dinner and watch what the airline or my iPad have to offer before going to bed to wake up where I left.