A unique flying experience: Flights to nowhere

Travel bans and border closures have meant that passengers in numerous countries have been unable to enjoy the experiences of taking holidays or boarding a flight.

The pandemic has been devastating to the aviation and tourism sectors. Several airlines have declared bankruptcy, while others have had to downsize in order to cut costs.

A UNIQUE AND EXCITING TRAVEL EXPERIENCE  

Some airlines are thinking out of the box. They are taking advantage of the pent-up demand for flying, by passengers who have not been able to take to the skies in months.  

Airlines in several countries are offering flights to nowhere, in an effort to generate income at a time when airlines are suffering from economic devastation.

Passengers are snapping up tickets on flights to nowhere, offered by airlines in Australia, India, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan.

QANTAS AUSTRALIAN AIRLINES’ FLIGHTS TO NOWHERE

Australia’s national airline, Qantas will be conducting a scenic “flight to nowhere”. It will take in several of Australia’s landmark tourist attractions on its seven-hour journey.

Tickets sold out in just 10 minutes after the flight was put on offer.

“We knew this flight would be popular, but we didn’t expect it to sell out in 10 minutes,” the airline’s spokesperson said.

IT WILL INSPIRE PASSENGERS

The flight, called the Great Southern Land, will be operated on 10 October 2020.

It will depart from, and return to Sydney. The route the scenic flight will take offers passengers picturesque views of Uluru, the Gold Coast and Sydney Harbour Bridge amongst other scenic spots in Australia.    

“While we may not be able to take you overseas right now, we can certainly provide inspiration for future trips to some of Australia’s most beautiful destinations,” Qantas’ spokesperson said.

THE COST OF QANTAS’ SCENIC FLIGHT TO NOWHERE

Tickets for a seat on Qantas’ scenic flight to nowhere cost anything between A$787 and A$3,787 (R9,440 and R45,426) per passenger, depending on the seat and class booked. Qantas will operate the flight using one of its Boeing 787 aircraft.

This initiative is a good way for an airline to provide a unique, travel experience to customers who have been unable to take to the skies during the pandemic. Qantas says it is considering putting on more of these flights.

“People clearly miss travel and the experience of flying. If the demand is there, we’ll definitely look at doing more of these scenic flights while we all wait for borders to open,” said Qantas’ spokesperson.

AN OPTION FOR AIRLINES TO STIMULATE DEMAND  

As demand for flying has dropped significantly, and with border closures still in place in several countries, airlines are having to become innovative. Operating scenic flights to nowhere has become a trend.

A number of airlines are offering, or planning to offer, these types of flights to passengers who miss flying.

Air India, Singapore Airlines, Taiwan’s Eva Air and Japan’s All Nippon Airlines (ANA) are airlines that are offering flights to nowhere.

This is an initiative which may be useful for airlines in South Africa, to satisfy a pent-up demand for flying, and as an opportunity to earn much-needed revenue.