“On a FLIGHT TO NOWHERE, Airlines Innovate Against Travel Bans”

With a large proportion of countries around the world not allowing any international flights except repatriation, airlines have been forced to come up with new ways to generate revenue. Although some travelers remain too scared to fly and people face travel shaming if they do, there are a growing number of people desperate to take to the skies again.

This has generated a new trend for flights to “nowhere”. It originally started with Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration organizing a flight that never actually left the ground. The idea was to recreate the feeling of travel and lift people’s spirits. The trip started like any normal one with passengers required to check-in, get their boarding passes, and go through the usual security and immigration checks. 

MICHELIN STAR ONBOARD MEALS

During the three hour flight, customers had a more sophisticated culinary experience than they would normally! The onboard food was a meal created by three-Michelin-starred chef Motokazu Nakamura with a choice of chirashi don (sashimi on top of sushi rice) or braised beef with noodles

JUST FOR KIDS

China Airlines, EVA air’s main competitor, has jumped on the bandwagon and aimed their flight experience at children. The flight allows children to pretend to be cabin crew on a two-hour trip that takes off and lands at Taoyuan. In the morning, they take a course on how to be cabin crew and are given uniforms to wear for the sightseeing flight in the afternoon.

“On a FLIGHT TO NOWHERE, Airlines Innovate Against Travel Bans”
Michele Robson - Forbes

Read the complete article here:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michelerobson/2020/08/16/on-a-flight-to-nowhere-airlines-innovate-against-travel-bans/