Pre-pandemic, many of us viewed flying simply as a method of getting from one destination to another as quickly as possible.
But as travel bans, closed borders and shelter-in-place orders confined many to our homes, some travellers have been daydreaming not only about the far-flung destinations currently off limits, but the flying experience itself -- from the thrill of the take-off to the unmatched views of the earth from above from the cabin window.
That's where "flights to nowhere" come in -- air travel that takes place purely for the purpose of the journey, not the destination.
Australian airline Qantas recently announced plans for a seven-hour scenic flight that will perform a giant loop taking in Queensland and the Gold Coast, New South Wales and the country's remote outback heartlands.
From above, keen fliers should be able to spot famous Aussie attractions including Sydney Harbour and the Great Barrier Reef. The jet will do a low flyover over certain landmarks, including Uluru and Bondi Beach.
Special onboard entertainment is promised too, including a surprise celebrity host.
The journey will take place on a Qantas Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, usually reserved for intercontinental journeys across continents. Right now, there are very few flights operating to and from Australia due to travel restrictions and Qantas international fleet has been grounded.
The Dreamliner is renowned for its big windows, making it ideal for sightseeing from 30,000 feet.
Flight QF787, due to depart Sydney Domestic Airport on Oct. 10 and return to the Australian metropolis seven hours later, has proven popular. The 134 tickets, spanning business class, premium economy and economy and costing from AUD$787 to $3,787 (US$566 to $2,734) were reportedly snapped up in just 10 minutes.
Qantas' flight follows on the heels of EVA Air's Taiwan-based flight to nowhere, which offered a one-off journey on August 8, on board its Hello Kitty-themed A330 Dream jet.
Meanwhile All Nipon Airways (ANA) also operated a short scenic flight in Japan in August, which the airline said sought to replicate "the Hawaiian resort experience," with 300 travellers boarding the 1.5 hour flight.
And on Sept. 19, a scenic flight is due to depart Taipei Airport, offering 120 Taiwanese tourists the opportunity to view South Korea's Jeju island from the sky.
The journey is due to be an experience in itself, according to the Korea Tourism Organization's press release, offering an in-flight quiz show and local cuisine.
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That said, all the airlines are operating their scenic flights with COVID-19 regulations in place.
Man, people are weirdos. Whatever though, good for Qantas.
They could up the excitement by using the max too!
I only fly commercial to get places and don't overly enjoy doing it, even in first class. However, there has been other attempts at "sightseeing" flights that are much more interesting. The hard deck is 5280ft for those.
One of the reasons the recent fires in Australia were so bad is these same Environmentalists did not allow controlled burns of the dead undergrowth. This is extremely beneficial as it allows new growth. These people appear to not know how Oxygen is produced..
In addition farmers were not allowed to create fire breaks on their own property.
Both of the above were factors in the severity of the fires.
We need to stop listening to these people imho.
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I’m confident that we can permit controlled burns of dry forest, as is sensible, and still not make long flights to nowhere.
Which is to say, people can be wrong about one thing, and right about another, and it makes sense to listen to what is being said regardless of who says it, rather than to “stop listening to these people”.
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Does the flight come with the usual airline bonuses, like the person who fills more than one seat being beside you, the flooded lavatory floor, and the wrong meal?
Or do you have to pay extra for these authentic joys?
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Strike me down with all of your hatred & your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
One of the reasons the recent fires in Australia were so bad is these same Environmentalists did not allow controlled burns of the dead undergrowth. This is extremely beneficial as it allows new growth. These people appear to not know how Oxygen is produced..
In addition farmers were not allowed to create fire breaks on their own property.
Both of the above were factors in the severity of the fires.
We need to stop listening to these people imho.
Maybe they should get out there and rake the undergrowth.
Eric Janson wrote: ↑Mon Sep 21, 2020 5:38 pm
One of the reasons the recent fires in Australia were so bad is these same Environmentalists did not allow controlled burns of the dead undergrowth. This is extremely beneficial as it allows new growth. These people appear to not know how Oxygen is produced..
We need to stop listening to these people imho.
Ummmmmm........no, that's not correct.
It took a 30 second Google search to fact-check, and debunk, your completely unfounded assertion: check out https://greens.org.au/bushfires. Australia's Green party in fact supports controlled burns "... when guided by the best scientific, ecological and emergency service expertise." That doesn't seem unreasonable on the face of it, and I'm not sure why anybody would disagree with that approach.
