Miss flying? Singapore is planning to start flights that go nowhere

These flights will take-off and land at the same destination and will stay in air for around two hours

Singapore Airlines (SIA) may launch no-destination flights by October-end that will depart from and land in Changi Airport next month, as reported by The Straits Times. This is being done to give the ailing airline business a lift.

Sources told The Straits Times that the airlines is working to launch the 'flight to nowhere' option for domestic passengers by October-end.

The flight duration is expected to be three hours.

Sources told Straits Times that SIA may 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.

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.

A spokesman told Straits Times, "SIA is considering several initiatives that would allow us to continue engaging both our customers and members of the public."

"We will make an announcement at the appropriate time if we go ahead with these plans."

Like other airlines, SIA has been badly battered by the fallout from Covid-19. The SIA Group, which also includes regional arm SilkAir and budget carrier Scoot, announced on September 10 that it will cut around 4,300 positions.

SIA has operated a flight to nowhere before, for a charity initiative in 2015 when it ferried more than 300 beneficiaries of the Community Chest, such as children with special needs and the disadvantaged elderly.