Singapore Airlines sells out meal experience on planes that don't take off

People in Singapore are finally flocking to the city’s airport again – but not for a flight out of the city.

Singapore Airlines has started offering customers the opportunity to have a meal experience on a grounded Airbus A380, and says that its first service sold out in less than 30 minutes.

The airline told Bloomberg News that after its two initial listings for lunches on 24 and 25 October sold out so quickly, it was looking to extend the offer for more days and add the option of dinner as well.

Tickets for a meal in a first-class suite went for about £360, business class seats were priced at £181, premium economy seats for £54 and it was £30 for economy class. There was also an option for customers to pay through their frequent-flyer miles.

“Restaurant A380 @Changi” is part of series of measures announced by Singapore Airlines last month to increase its earnings which, like the rest of aviation industry, have taken a serious hit during the coronavirus pandemic. Last month, Singapore’s national carrier had announced that it would lay off about 20 percent of its workforce.   

The guests coming to the airport for lunch and dinner in the double-decker aircraft can also choose from hundreds of movies, television shows and albums of music to enjoy while they dine from special menus selected for each cabin class.  

Singapore Airlines said it was following all safety protocols including social distancing and temperature screening to ensure the safety of customers, and that the “flights” would operate at 50 per cent capacity.

It has also offered an option for customers to enjoy the Singapore Airlines dining experience from the comfort of their own home by choosing from 10 takeaway menus, including first class and business class meals with wine or champagne.

The restaurant experience is just one of the many initiatives that airlines across the world are using to add to their earnings. For instance, several airlines have pursued the idea of a flight to nowhere which takes off and lands at the same airport as an attraction for customers who miss flying.  

On 10 October, a Qantas flight took off from Sydney and flew over major sights in Australia such as Byron Bay, Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef before landing back at Sydney. When tickets for this flight were offered by the airline in September they were sold out within minutes.

Singapore Airlines had said that after considering all options, the idea for a tour flight or “flight to nowhere”,  was not pursued.

“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,” said SIA Chief Executive Officer Mr Goh Choon Phong.

In April, the International Air Transport Association had said that 25 million jobs were at risk of disappearing because of “plummeting demand for air travel” due to Covid.