[AMcWhirter]

Only in Asia you might be thinking …

Like all airports Taipei’s secondary Songshan facility has seen revenue from airlines and passengers collapase in recent months.

It has found a new way of recovering some of the lost revenue … by providing the locals with ‘pretend’ tours of the airport including the boarding and immigration processes.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/taipei-songshan-airport-coronavirus-intl-hnk/

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EU_Flyer

[EU_Flyer]

Hilarious. Reminds me of the Indian company that sells seats in a parked aircraft for a few hours including a meal – for those who can’t afford to travel.

The plane to nowhere – fake airline flights in India

Amazing how the lure of air travel plays out in so many ways…

[capetonianm]

We take flying so much for granted, but many years ago I took a young couple on board one of our aircraft on the ground at CPT (in the days when you could do such things), arranged a lunch for them on board, and a walk around behind the scenes at the airport. I drove them out to the aircraft on a baggage trolley, which for some reason was the highlight of the trip. They were absolutely thrilled with whole experience.

[transtraxman]

Maybe Taipei has got on to something……
Just as airports and airlines have courses for people to adapt to flying (for those scared of flying), maybe there is a market to extend that to include the whole flying experience. I imagine that in some countries flying is a whole new experience for many so can be looked at the way Alec and EU_Flyer have indicated.

I remember that in 1966 I was in “diggs” at unviversity. The son of the landlords was a second pilot/officer at BOAC. On this occasion he took myself and my flatmate to the engineering base at Heathrow. He showed us over a B707 and a VC10 – how I love that aircraft. The experience was delightful, marvellous, fantastic – or as is said these days “awesome”.

My only previous flying experience had been on a BEA Vickers Viscount (a marvellous aircraft) but was shortly superseded by a flight on a BUA BAC 1-11. Those small experiences made me fall in love with flying.

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AMcWhirter, sparkyflier

[MartynSinclair]

I will admit to having a secret desire to join the ground crew for pushback of a 380/747 & walking the aircraft out of the gate area into the taxi area. Yes I would gladly pay for the experience.

[DavidSmith2]

Just outside the Entrance to Accra Airport in Ghana, there is an old DC10 which has been converted into a restaurant. I am told that the food is better than on the operational planes, but the clientele is certainly those who aspire to air travel rather than those who actually do. I cannot imagine anyone coming off a flight then suggesting that they should climb into another plane for dinner.

[AMcWhirter]

More than two weeks later Reuters has a report.

“Fake flights for travel-starved tourists”

Missing travel? This Taiwanese airport allows you to check in, go through passport control and security and even board the aircraft. You just never leave https://t.co/3yRTSHjsZs pic.twitter.com/SvSOduoNUJ

— Reuters (@Reuters) July 2, 2020

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-taiwan-airport/check-in-but-never-leave-taiwan-offers-fake-flights-for-travel-starved-tourists-idUSKBN2430RV?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social

[AMcWhirter]

The news has now appeared in The Telegraph [paywall] and Daily Mail. Today in Metro.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/taiwan/articles/taiwan-airport-offers-fake-flights/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-8482343/Taiwan-offers-FAKE-FLIGHTS-holiday-starved-tourists-happy.html

Taiwan offers fake two-hour flights with staged check-in as people miss flying so much

[Author]

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