Taiwan travellers take sightseeing 'flight to nowhere'

EVA Airways

19/09/2020 12:43

TAIPEI, Sept 19 (Reuters) - A Taiwanese airline carried
around 120 passengers on a "flight to nowhere" on Saturday to
view the South Korean resort island of Jeju, before flying
straight back home, the latest gimmick to give people a glimpse
of normality during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Tough border restrictions to keep the coronavirus under
control have led to a 97.5% plunge in international travel in
the region, according to the Association of Asia Pacific
Airlines.
    Many frequent flyers miss getting on planes and airlines
including Taiwan's EVA Airways Corp  2618.TW  and Japan's ANA
Holdings Inc  9202.T , desperate for revenue and to keep their
pilots' licences current, have offered special sightseeing
flights.
    Saturday's flight by Tigerair Taiwan, the low-cost unit of
Taiwan's largest carrier China Airlines  2610.TW , took off from
Taipei's Taoyuan International Airport and flew up to Jeju,
circling low to give passengers a chance to see the island,
though mist limited views, and then flying back to Taiwan.
    "I feel like I haven't gone abroad for a long time, and I
think this event is very special. It's a good deal," said
passenger Chen Shu-tzu, 43. 
    Some passengers wore traditional Korean dress to mark the
flight.
    Passengers and staff posed for pictures before the flight
took off, holding a sign in Chinese, Korean and English reading:
"South Korea is missing you. Tigerair Taiwan Longing flight (to)
take off."
    While international travel has collapsed, domestic travel is
booming in Taiwan, where the pandemic is well under control.
    Flights to Taiwan's sun soaked offshore islands and rugged
east coast are packed, with Tigerair leasing out some of its
aircraft to bolster supply on domestic routes. 

 (Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Mark Potter)
 ((ben.blanchard@thomsonreuters.com;))