The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has already named 2020 the worst year in aviation history. On average, due to restrictions on flights, the industry suffers daily losses of $ 230 million, and for a total of 12 months, losses of air carriers will amount to $ 84.3 billion. …
British Airways began selling champagne glasses, dinner sets and other utensils previously used on air travel in December. Buyers will be able to “recreate the magic of flying with British Airways at home,” the company says. Singapore Airlines previously offered lunch on board an Airbus A380, a tour of the airline’s training facilities, and home delivery of in-flight meals from First and Business Class menus. And Taiwanese Songshan Airport provided an opportunity to remember how they traveled before the pandemic: passengers could arrive at the airport, go through passport control – and just sit in the cabin of the plane standing on the ground. After that, the protesters had to leave the board and go through passport control again.
One of the main trends of the last few months is flying to nowhere. During such a flight, the plane moves along a circular route with a landing at the airport of departure. In this case, the service on board is the same as during a regular flight. One of the first to introduce this concept was the Taiwanese company EVA Air. A plane with Hello Kitty livery flew around the scenic coastline of Taiwan and the Japanese islands of Ryuku.
The inaugural flight took place during the celebration of Father’s Day on August 8, 2020. The flight was numbered 5288 – translated into Chinese, the combination of these numbers sounds like “I love you, dad.” The $ 180 three-hour flight turned out to be so in demand that the company offered similar flights for New Years and Christmas under the slogan “Fly! Love is in the air”. The project is designed for single travelers – 40 men and women aged 24 to 38 years. It is known that 400 people applied for participation, and all 40 seats for $ 295 each for the first flight have already been sold out.
China Airlines, the main competitor to EVA Air, has launched flights for children, during which little guests can try themselves as crew members. The two-hour flight is preceded by a short flight attendant training course. And Royal Brunei Airlines offered a “lunch and fly” program: in an 85-minute flight, passengers were able to view the island of Borneo and enjoy a brunch on board.
Flights to nowhere are not limited solely to short- and medium-haul routes. Qantos organized a flight to cover the entire Australian continent in October. The seven-hour flight flew over the Great Barrier Reef, the red mountain of Uluru, the port of Sydney and other iconic places in the region. Economy class tickets starting at $ 700 sold out in 10 minutes, making the non-destination flight the fastest-selling flight in the airline’s history.
And right now, the charter division of Qantos Antarctica Flights is offering a non-stop New Year’s flight to Antarctica. The 13-hour flight on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner will begin in Melbourne on December 31 at 5:30 pm local time and end at the same airport at 6:30 am the next day. The airline’s website explains that the plane will fly at 10,000 feet to avoid disturbing wildlife, and pilots have multiple flight plans to look for the best field of view even in poor visibility. During the flight over the southernmost continent of the Earth, guests will be treated to champagne and a festive menu accompanied by a jazz orchestra. The cost of the New Year’s flight ranges from $ 1199 to $ 7999. At the time of this publication, there was only one seat left for $ 3199.
Sightseeing flights are also available in Japan, Hong Kong and other countries. Air India, the national carrier of India, also announced its interest in starting flights to nowhere.
European companies do not offer flights to anywhere yet. However, last year at BA 2119: Flight of the Future British Airways, British Airways’ 100th anniversary, the company unveiled the concept of “air cruises”. In particular, London’s Saatchi Gallery said that “on air cruises, travelers will slowly fly over the most unusual places on the planet, such as the pyramids, and VR guides handed out on board will offer a scrolling line with comments. Other options available in the future for passengers traveling on British Airways air cruises may include yoga, meditation or art classes on board.
Experts say the new trips satisfy frequent flyers’ longing for the attributes of what they see as normal life and, at least temporarily, allow them to disconnect from the unsettling reality. However, it is interesting for everyone else. “Traveling meets a person’s innate desire to escape from reality and experience something new.
The pandemic is exacerbating these needs, ”explains Sebastien Filep, professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He also reminds that for many travelers the destination is not always the most important: “Who you go with matters more than where you go.” “Flying by itself is not incredible fun. Rather, they are a symbol of what this pleasure in itself contains – adventure, relaxation, change of scenery, new impressions and acquaintances. Recently people have been deprived of all this – and they are trying to touch all this even in this, very indirect way, ”agrees the psychologist, co-founder of the service“ Yasno ”Danila Antonovsky.
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