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SINGAPORE, October 18 (The Straits Times / ANN): They have been dating for about a year and on October 25, Nicholas Lim and his girlfriend, Eleanor Teo, will be boarding a plane together for the first time.
The couple’s destination is not a far off place, but the Singapore Airlines restaurant on an A-380 plane, which will be parked at Changi Airport next weekend and the next.
The couple, who opted for the economy cabin lunch at S $ 50 each, are among the lucky 3,500 customers who got a seat for lunch or dinner.
More than 900 seats available for the SIA A380 @ Changi Restaurant dining experience were sold within 30 minutes of opening reservations on October 12. Prices ranged from S $ 50 for economy class to S $ 600 for suites.
Two planes will be deployed, and guests will occupy about half of the seats to meet safe distance guidelines.
In addition to the food, Teo, 31, who works for a charity, and Lim, 34, will be able to explore the world’s largest passenger plane in the three hours they have on the plane. They also plan to see the movie Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey.
Teo, a fan of the DC Comics character, wanted to see the film when it was released in theaters in February, but hesitated due to the increase in Covid-19 cases at the time.
“For S $ 50 per person, the experience is reasonably priced as you get a three-course meal, watch movies on board, and get a souvenir,” said Lim, who works at a non-governmental organization.
He’s opting for a Peranakan meal of early ayam and sambal eggplant, while Teo has chosen a Japanese-style lunch.
The Straits Times spoke to five Singaporeans who purchased the Restaurant A380 @ Changi dining experience or the SIA @ Home package, which offers customers first-class or business-class meals delivered to their doorstep.
SIA, which reported its first annual loss in its 48-year history, launched initiatives to engage customers amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
Another initiative, which would see SIA opening the doors of its training center, will accept reservations from November 1.
Those who secured a seat or meal said “the experience is worth paying for.”
Amy Tay booked a Suites lunch for October 25 using the 80,250 KrisFlyer miles she took years to accumulate.
The 34-year-old auditor said she has not traveled since 2017 due to family and personal commitments.
Having spent five years in the United States, where he studied at the University of Michigan before working in New York City, Tay said that boarding an SIA flight always gives him a “warm and fuzzy feeling when I see my fellow Singaporeans.” .
In August 2015, her then-boyfriend, Tan Si-Rong, proposed to her during a flight to Australia. He said the airline gave him a cake, which travelers can order in advance if they travel on his birthday.
“SIA has been good to me when times were good for them. I want to help them now that times are tough,” she said.
Technology consultant Felix Wee, 28, who secured a spot for a lunch at Suites on Oct. 24, is concerned that SIA, which does not have a domestic market, may not be able to recover as quickly as airlines elsewhere.
Another customer, who just wanted to be known as Dr. Goh, bought French chef Georges Blanc’s first-class set offered under SIA @ Home, which opened for orders on October 5.
The food was delivered on October 11.
He had bought the food to support the airline, concerned that thousands of jobs in the aviation industry are at risk due to Covid-19.
“Chefs, bakers and even janitorial staff can lose their jobs, not just cabin crew and pilots,” the 50-year-old said.
Dr. Goh described the food as excellent, adding that it was a wonderful experience to have a three-Michelin-star dinner at home, especially for his elderly and vulnerable parents and in-laws. – The Straits Times / Asian News Network
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