Singapore Airlines will reportedly launch "flights to nowhere"

PanARMENIAN.Net - Singapore Airlines (SIA) is looking to launch no-destination flights that will depart from and land in Changi Airport in October, in a bid to give its ailing business a lift, The Straits Time reports.

Sources familiar with the company's plans have reportedly said that the national carrier is working towards launching this option for domestic passengers - dubbed "flights to nowhere" - by end-October.

They said 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 that will be given out by the Government.

Each flight is expected to take about three hours.

Stefan Wood, director at aircraft charter firm Singapore Air Charter, told ST that he had approached SIA about the possibility of setting up a joint venture to provide such flights to nowhere using the Airbus A-350 planes from SIA.

But he said the talks stalled recently, with SIA indicating interest in going ahead with such plans on its own.

When asked by ST about the plans to launch flights to nowhere, a spokesman said: "SIA is considering several initiatives that would allow us to continue engaging both our customers and members of the public."

Several airlines worldwide, including EVA Air in Taiwan, have piloted flights to nowhere in an attempt to cope with the drastic fall in demand for air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic.