The coronavirus pandemic has caused great hardship in aviation. Singapore International Airlines (SIA) is no exception with only 20 of its 220 Airbus A380 planes in service. In an innovative move, the airline is offering a plane dining experience on two Airbus A380s parked at Changi Airport.
Restaurant A380 by Singapore International Airlines
A unique pop-up dining experience, Restaurant A380 offers an opportunity to have a meal inside an Airbus A380, the biggest passenger plane in the world. Every place was sold within thirty minutes when reservations opened on October 12. A waiting list was started but was soon closed due to high demand. Originally, the restaurant was only going to open for two days, October 24 and 25. But the airline is now offering two more dates, October 31 and November 1. This time for both lunch and dinner.
Restaurant A380 will comply with social distancing regulations by only offering half the seats available on the plane. Only people who book together can sit with each other. Each sitting will cater for approximately 235 passengers.
A Restaurant A380 Experience
The price of this once in a lifetime experience depends on the cabin class selected. Customers in Economy will pay around $39 each. Those who select the luxury of a suite with pay around $474. Members of KrisFlyer, SIA’s frequent-flyer program, can redeem miles when booking this special experience. It will last three hours and, according to the airline’s press release, those who wear a traditional heritage costume will receive a limited edition goodie bag and additional gifts.
Menus will vary depending on the cabin class selected but will feature international dishes as well as those from Singapore’s Peranakan menu. A selection specially designed for the occasion by the acclaimed Singaporean chef, Shermay Lee. For example, diners in First Class will be offered a five-course meal including a cheese and fruit course.
Additional on the Ground Experiences by Singapore International Airlines
SIA is offering other experiences including behind-the-scenes tours of its training facilities. These include a dressing-well workshop and a spin in a flight simulator. It has plans to offer a food delivery service to peoples’ homes. This would include cooking instructions and a special playlist to re-create an SIA on-board experience. Of course, SIA is not the only airline with surplus food supplies and, according to the Lonely Planet, many airline food suppliers are offering meals and snacks for sale directly to customers.
SIA abandoned the idea of circular flights from Changi to Changi apparently due to environmental considerations. However, Qantas has already operated a very successful flight to nowhere. Its Great Southern Land Scenic flight departed from and arrived in Sydney.
Does the idea of dining on a parked plane appeal to you? Let us know in the comments.
