SIA ditches ‘flight to nowhere’ idea, rolls out A380 restaurant, delivery menu and training facilities tour

• SIA will be offering lunch to customers on board a parked superjumbo A380 at Changi Airport 
• The airline abandoned the flight-to-nowhere idea after a review and has no plans to revive it
• From Oct 5, customers may order SIA’s First Class and Business Class food for a home dining experience 
• A behind-the-scenes tour of SIA’s training facility will be held over two school holiday weekends

SINGAPORE — Customers of Singapore Airlines (SIA) will soon be able to dine and explore one of its Airbus A380s on Oct 24 and 25 while the aircraft remains parked at Changi Airport, SIA said in a statement on Tuesday (Sept 29).

Its initial idea for a short tour flight, or a “flight to nowhere”, was jettisoned after the airlines conducted a market study and a review, taking into account factors such as environmental implications and financial viability.

“We currently have no plans to revive the idea,” a spokesperson said in response to TODAY’s queries.

In recent weeks, the idea attracted flak from people who were concerned about the carbon impact created by these flights, while others defended it  as a way to help the ailing national carrier cope with the Covid-19 crisis. A few airlines are taking this flight-to-nowhere route.

Mr Goh Choon Phong, SIA's chief executive officer, said: “There has been a lot of interest in our customer engagement initiatives over the last few weeks, and I would like to thank everyone for their great ideas and suggestions. We are very encouraged by and grateful for the enthusiasm and passion that we have seen.”

The latest Restaurant A380@Changi idea is part of a “suite of experiences” meant for SIA’s Singapore customers and fans over the next few weeks.

These include a tour of its training facilities and a chance to enjoy SIA’s in-flight meals at home.

At Restaurant A380, customers will be served lunch in a cabin of their choice on the double-decker superjumbo aircraft.

The aircraft will be parked and linked to a gatehold room, with diners entering the A380 via an aerobridge. SIA will be applying for airport passes on behalf of the diners since the activity will be in a restricted area.

Diners may choose from SIA’s signature international cuisine as well as from a special Peranakan menu designed by Singaporean chef Shermay Lee.

They will get to see a showcase of the airline's cabin crew uniform over the years and customers who turn up in traditional heritage wear, such as a sarong kebaya, cheongsam, saree, batik shirt or a kilt, will receive a special gift.

Bookings for Restaurant A380 will begin on Oct 12 on SIA’s KrisShop website. Limited spots for a 15-minute tour of the A380’s interiors and private access areas are also available on a first-come-first-served basis.

All health and safety measures will be put in place including thorough cleaning of the aircraft, SIA said. Diners will be seated in groups of no more than five people with safe distancing between them.

“We will be following restaurant rules for Restaurant A380@Changi so the number of diners allowed in (the aircraft) is dynamic at this point in time. We will be observing safe distancing between groups of diners, so that will be taken into account as well,” its spokesperson said.

For those who wish to have food from Restaurant A380 delivered to their homes, they may choose from a range of 10 menus starting from Oct 5.

The menus were designed for its First Class and Business Class customers by four world-renowned chefs on SIA’s International Culinary Panel: Chef Georges Blanc of France, Chef Matt Moran of Australia, Chef Yoshihiro Murata of Japan and Chef Sanjeev Kapoor of India.

SIA will also provide a First Class or Business Class amenity kit based on a package of the customer's choice and they get to keep limited edition dining ware and amenities such as crystal glasses, tableware sets and sleeper suits.

A digital guide on how to heat and plate the dishes will be provided. Customers can “recreate the SIA onboard experience at home” by watching aircraft cabin videos and listening to a specially curated playlist.

“Those who are looking to bring their SIA experience to the next level also have the option to 'book the chef' through our cabin crew concierge, to enjoy the services of a private chef who will reheat, plate and serve the meal for customers in their homes,” SIA said.

INSIDE SINGAPORE AIRLINES

For two weekends during the November school holidays, in a rare move, SIA will also be opening up its training facilities to the public.

“Perfect for kids and families, this is a rare opportunity to find out from our pilots and cabin crew what it takes to fly and serve in the skies," SIA said. "The tour will feature our latest cabin products and a look at where training on our flight simulators is conducted.”

Visitors may pay for more experiences:

• Aviation enthusiasts may experience the training SIA pilots receive on its flight simulator

• Children may dress up as junior cabin crew for a day and keep their SIA uniforms

• Wine lovers may learn about SIA’s wines from its air sommeliers

• Members of the public may learn how to achieve the Singapore Girl look in a guided grooming workshop

For a fee, the public may also dine at the SIA canteen, which will be serving in-flight cuisines. If visitors use SIA’s contactless payment application KrisPay, they can earn air miles for these meals or if they buy merchandise at the tour.

The tour dates are set for Nov 21, 22, 28 and 29, and bookings start from Nov 1.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

When asked if there are other initiatives in the pipeline, the spokesperson said that it will make an announcement at the appropriate time.

Mr Goh, SIA's CEO, said that the airline came up with these activities to engage with its fans and customers at a time when Covid-19 has drastically reduced the number of flights operated by SIA Group.

“These experiences offer something for everyone — from frequent flyers who miss our world-class in-cabin products and service, to couples and families who want an exclusive dining experience, and parents who are after an enjoyable activity-filled day with their children during the school holidays.”