Several international carriers have come up with a novel approach to keep some planes in the sky while satisfying the wanderlust of earthbound fliers. A number of “Flights to Nowhere” have sold out rather quickly indicating just how travel hungry the public‘s been since the global spread of the coronavirus triggered a dramatic slowdown in air travel starting last March. Many of us still have an itch to travel, even if it's just being on a plane again. While many people think of flying as a means to an end, simply to get from one place to another, some of us think getting there really is half the fun!
Following up on an offer made in July in which the Taiwanese public was able to check in and board a grounded airplane at Taipei's mid-sized international airport, EVA Air upgraded the faux-travel experience by offering an actual flight. Well, not really. This was a "Flight to Nowhere" since the plane took off and landed at the same airport, this time the city’s larger Taoyuan International. EVA Air Flight # 5888 (which sounds similar to "I love you dad" in Mandarin) took off from Taipei at 10:30a local time and first headed East towards Japan. The flight passed by the small island of Guishan and later turned South, along Taiwan's Eastern coastline. It then made its way to the Southernmost tip of the country and the Eluanbi Lighthouse before returning Northward to the capital. After nearly 3 hours in the air, it landed back in Taipei around 1:15p.
Overseas travel has been made impossible by coronavirus border controls, including Taiwan’s own 14-day quarantine rule for anyone who deplanes from abroad. Regular domestic flights in Taiwan last only 30 minutes and lack the rituals associated with international flights. Since this special flight briefly left Taiwan airspace, EVA offered discounts on duty-free shopping. Those aboard were also treated to themed, Hello Kitty amenity kits and the sale of Hello Kitty souvenirs. They also received free Wi-Fi for texting and the entertainment system was loaded with content normally reserved for long-haul trips. In-flight dining was another highlight of this "journey." Passengers were given a choice between Chirasi Don (assorted sashimi over rice) created by three-star Michelin chef Motokazu Nakamura or a Classic Braised Beef Noodle dish. An Economy Class ticket went for $180 and those who chose to upgrade their seats to Business Class only paid an additional $35. The flight sold out quickly.
In August, Royal Brunei Airlines offered the first of five ”Flights to Nowhere." It dubbed the 85-minute experience a “dine and fly” flight during which local cuisine was served while passengers flew over the country. Surprisingly, even though the country’s had very few cases of the coronavirus, the airline didn’t require those onboard to wear a mask, but the flight crew did. For one of the passengers, Nadzri Harif, a DJ at the Kristal FM radio station in Brunei, setting foot at the airport in August was the first time he’d been there in 6 months! The experience, he claimed, was exhilarating - even with the masks, dividers and social-distancing guidelines in place. For him, nothing beat the anticipation of getting on an airplane again, even if it wasn’t going to take him anywhere. "I didn't realize how much I'd missed traveling - missed flying - until the moment the captain's voice came on the speaker with the welcome and safety announcement," said Harif.
Brunei is a small equatorial country on the Northern Coast of the Island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. These Royal Brunei flights have been operated by the carrier’s A320neo aircraft for what are essentially flight seeing tours of Borneo with the addition of a gourmet meal. During the flights, the captain pointed out various landmarks that included Kota Kinabalu, the state capital of Sabah, Malaysia, and Labuan, a Malaysian Federal Territory. The food served featured typical Bruneian menus, including fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk served with either a spicy, deep-fried chicken or another chicken dish cooked with red chilies in a spicy sauce. Fresh fruits were served for dessert along with a pudding made from palm sugar. Before heading back to the Brunei International Airport, the planes circled around the 19-mile long Saifuddien Bridge, the longest bridge in all of Southeast Asia which cost Brunei a whopping $12 billion to build and is a local source of great pride!
Australia’s Qantas Airways announced its own “Flight to Nowhere” in September and it sold out in just 10 minutes! “It’s probably the fastest-selling flight in Qantas history,” said Alan Joyce, the airline’s Chief Executive in a recent statement “So many of our frequent fliers are used to being on a plane every other week and have been telling us they miss the experience of flying as much as the destinations themselves.” The 7-hour flight took place on October 10 in a B787 Dreamliner aircraft, usually reserved for intercontinental journeys across oceans and continents. Right now, however, there are very few flights operating to and from Australia due to travel restrictions and the Qantas international fleet has been grounded. The “Flight to Nowhere” left from and landed back in Sydney. There were 150 tickets for sale in the Economy, Premium Economy and Business Class cabins, costing anywhere from $556 to $2,734. Unfortunately, they were only available to Australian residents since the country's borders have been closed since March.
The airline sectioned off an area of its lounge pre departure for those lucky passengers who enjoyed live entertainment as well as cocktails and snacks served by staff dressed as retro Qantas pilots. Flight #787 departed from Sydney, flying over the Australian metropolis before taking in sites from Bondi Beach and the Gold Coast to the Great Barrier Reef and Uluru (Ayer’s Rock). Those aboard this Great Southern Land scenic flight took in the country’s landmarks from a spectacular vantage point as the aircraft intermittently descended to roughly 4,000 feet.There were no conventional entertainment offerings on the seat back screens because the real show was outside. Soon after take off, with Sydney illuminated in the late-morning sunshine, travelers started snapping pictures and we’re told that pretty much continued non-stop throughout the flight. Onboard service followed Qantas’ typically fine international Business Class standards, albeit with much-upgraded bubbly for those seated up front, this time 2004 Cuvee Louise Champagne. Reports have confirmed there was a great deal of excitement on board as most folks don’t get to appreciate these world-famous sites from such an up close and personal vantage point.
Qantas also announced it will restart its spectacular 12-hour flights from Australia to Antarctica and back, providing a unique opportunity to view the icy continent from above. Starting in November and running through next February, the flag carrier has again partnered with tour company Antarctica Flights to provide a privately chartered Qantas B787 Dreamliner for a total of 7 flights to the arctic during its peak-daylight summer months. Each captain on board one of these flights must have completed at least 2 previous trips to Antarctica as a co-pilot ( earlier flights were operated by B747 aircraft). At least 2 other experienced captains will also travel on each flight and a third captain will be aboard as well in order to gain such experience. The scenic journeys will start and end in one of five cities, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. There can be no doubt that Qantas has raised the bar on how best to satisfy us grounded frequent fliers!
As most air travel has been curtailed, these “Flights to Nowhere” have become quite popular. I dare say I wouldn’t hesitate to hop onboard if any were offered stateside. How about you?
Until next time..stay safe.
I like the initiative shown by the airlines. As for me, I'm told I have been going nowhere for years!!!