Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) plans to turn one of its grounded jumbo jets into a pop-up restaurant and offer home-delivered airplane food as part of a series of initiatives to try and re-engage people who have been unable to travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With no domestic network, the city-state’s national carrier has been financially battered by curbs on international travel and has laid off about one-fifth of its staff.
The airline yesterday also said that it would offer tours of its training center and flight simulator experiences, but scrapped an initial idea to follow a growing trend in Asia for scenic flights following a backlash on environmental grounds.
“With COVID-19 drastically reducing the number of flights operated by the SIA Group, we have created unique activities that would allow us to engage with our fans and customers during this time,” Singapore Airlines chief executive officer Goh Choon Phong (吳俊鵬) said.
Those who wish to dine aboard the double-decker A380, the world’s largest passenger aircraft, can choose between different cabin classes and menus designed by international chefs.
Customers are to be given goodie bags and those who dine in traditional clothing would receive additional gifts.
If customers opt to have the airplane food delivered to their home, they would receive welcome videos, guides on how to heat and plate the dishes, and a “specially curated playlist to recreate the SIA onboard experience,” the airline said.
Earlier this month, Thai Airways International PCL transformed the cafeteria of its Bangkok headquarters into an airline-themed restaurant, decked out with airplane seats and cabin crew members in full uniform.
With the aviation industry in deep crisis, several carriers — including in Taiwan, Australia and Japan — have been offering short flights that start and end at the same airport to raise cash.
They are designed for travel-starved people eager to fly at a time of virus-related restrictions, and have proved surprisingly popular.
Environmental advocates voiced opposition to Singapore Airlines launching “flights to nowhere,” with group SG Climate Rally saying that they would encourage “carbon-intensive travel for no good reason.”
Additional reporting by AFP
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