Australian carrier Qantas’ seven-hour sightseeing “flight to nowhere” which departs and lands right back at Sydney Domestic Airport sold out in 10 minutes.

“It’s probably the fastest selling flight in Qantas history,” said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce according to CNN.

“People clearly miss travel and the experience of flying. If the demand is there, we’ll definitely look at doing more of these scenic flights while we all wait for borders to open.”

Qantas has joined a small but growing number of airlines that have begun offering sightseeing trips to nowhere in an effort to cope with the drastic drop in air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic.

EVA Air, one of the biggest carriers in Taiwan, offered passengers a trip that departed and landed in Taipei on August 8. Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways has been flying sightseeing flights on its A380 Flying Honu aircraft from Tokyo’s Narita airport.

Qantas’ seven-hour flight, which is set to depart on October 10, will be flown on a B787 Dreamliner aircraft usually reserved for long haul international flights.

Dubbed the “Great Southern Land’ scenic flight”, the airline promises passengers picturesque views and low level flybys over Australian destinations across Queensland, the Northern Territory and New South Wales including the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Byron Bay and the Sydney Harbour.

Last week, media reports emerged saying Singapore Airlines is also looking to launch “flights to nowhere” that will depart from and land at Changi Airport next month.

Singapore Airlines to launch ‘flights to nowhere’

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