[ad_1]
SINGAPORE – Singapore Airlines (SIA) is looking to launch destinationless flights that will depart and land at Changi Airport next month, in a bid to boost its struggling business.
Sources told The Straits Times that the national airline is working to launch this option for domestic passengers, called “flights to nowhere”, by the end of October.
They said that SIA also plans to explore a partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board to allow interested passengers to partially pay for such flights with tourism credits to be awarded by the Government.
Each flight is expected to last about three hours.
Stefan Wood, director of charter company Singapore Air Charter, told ST that he had approached SIA about the possibility of establishing a joint venture to provide such flights to nowhere using SIA’s Airbus A-350 jets.
But he said talks recently stalled and the SIA showed interest in going ahead with those plans on its own.
When asked by ST about plans to launch flights to nowhere, a spokesperson said: “SIA is considering various initiatives that would allow us to continue to engage both our customers and members of the public.”
“We will make an announcement at an appropriate time if we go ahead with these plans.”
Several airlines around the world, including EVA Air in Taiwan, have piloted to nowhere in an attempt to cope with the drastic drop in demand for air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Like other airlines, SIA has been hit hard by the consequences of Covid-19. The SIA Group, which also includes regional arm SilkAir and budget airline Scoot, announced on Thursday (September 10) that it will cut about 4,300 positions, with an estimated 2,400 staff expected to be affected after taking measures into account. above such as a hiring freeze.
SIA has operated a flight to nowhere before, for a charity initiative in 2015 when it transported more than 300 Community Chest beneficiaries, such as children with special needs and underprivileged elderly.
While SIA did not provide details on what its proposed flights are to anywhere, Wood said it had envisioned a combo package for those destinationless flights.
This would have included a partnership with hotels to offer stays, shopping vouchers at Jewel Changi airport, and a limousine service to transport customers.
He is confident that there will be demand for such flights in Singapore if they are finally launched.
A survey of 308 people his company conducted found that 75 percent were willing to pay for flights anywhere.
The most popular price respondents were willing to pay for an economy seat was $ 288, and 45 percent of respondents said they were willing to do so. Meanwhile, 40 percent said they were willing to pay $ 588 for a business class seat.
Sixty percent of those surveyed said they would prefer the flight to last two hours.
Wood said: “As the trip opens up, the novelty (of flights to nowhere) will certainly wear off.
“However, when combined with a stay at home, limo transfers and shopping experiences at the airport, people will enjoy it.”
He added that his firm will abandon plans to launch flights to nowhere on commercial jets in Singapore if SIA successfully submits its offer.
“For me, it’s about the Singapore economy and putting some money back into the sector,” he said.
[ad_2]
