Fill Me In
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has announced that it will launch three initiatives to enable the public to experience its services amid the COVID-19 pandemic – albeit on the ground.
These services include lunch onboard an Airbus A380 jumbo jet, a tour of SIA’s training facilities and home delivery of its meals from first class and business class menus.
Dine Business or First Class at Restaurant A380@Changi
The Airbus A380, one of SIA’s biggest carriers, will be converted into a restaurant on 24 and 25 October. For those who have always found Business and First Class out of reach, diners will be able to choose the cabin class they would like to dine in. The menu will feature international cuisines, as well as a Peranakan menu customised for the temporary restaurant. Each meal comes with two free alcoholic beverages and free flow of non-alcoholic drinks.
Diners can also expect to get other perks, such as KrisShop discounts, and a goodie bag. In a bid to celebrate SIA’s rich history, those who turn up in traditional heritage wear, such as in a sarong kebaya or cheongsam will also receive an extra gift.
In order to ensure the safety of diners, COVID-19 safety measures will be implemented, such as limiting groups to no more than five persons, and requiring both crew members and diners to wear a masks at all times, except when eating and drinking.
Bookings open 12 October on KrisShop.com.
Learn the ropes at the tour of SIA Training Centre
Where do our Singapore Girls learn to serve passengers or pilots learn to fly? These questions will be answered at the tour of the SIA Training Centre, will take place on the following dates: 21, 22, 28 and 29 November.
During the tour, visitors will get the opportunity to talk to pilots and cabin crew about their training, and see SIA’s flight simulators.
Guests can also take part in craft activities and purchase in-flight meals. For a top-up fee, guests will even be able to live out their fantasies of being a pilot with a run on the flight simulator, or learn the signature look of Singapore Girls with a grooming workshop conducted by SIA’s cabin crew trainers. There is also an additional wine appreciation session that will educate connoisseurs on where the airline sources for their wine.
Parents of young children may also opt for an add-on option of sending their child for a junior cabin crew experience. Children will be able to dress up in the SIA sarong kebaya uniform, learn customer service skills and try their hand at being cabin crew members in a mock-up Business Class cabin.
Bookings open 1 November on KrisShop.com.
Enjoy world-class cuisine with SIA@Home
Fans of SIA’s in-flight menu may now enjoy the meals provided by the national carrier in the comfort of their own homes. From 5 October, SIA will offer its First Class and Business Class menus, created by world-renowned chefs, via home delivery.
Diners may choose from a wide selection of ten menus, and each menu will be paired with a choice wine or champagne. All menus also come with SIA’s signature satay dish, which is often served as a dining appetiser before meal service at First and Business Class. Dining guides on how to heat and plate the dishes just as they would be on a real flight, will also be included.
Freshen up after with the included First or Business Class amenity kit that will also be delivered with each meal.
For those who would like to recreate a true in-flight dining experience, they may also make use of the aircraft cabin videos and a specially created playlist to enhance their dining ambience.
Diners may also opt to pay an additional fee for a private chef to reheat, plate and serve the meal in their homes.
Bookings open 5 October on KrisShop.com.
Why the launch of these initiatives?
These three initiatives were launched as a response to many Singaporeans’ concerns about the environmental impact that the ‘flights to nowhere’ initiative would have. The announcement about the flights spurred Singaporeans to create a Google Docs spreadsheet to rally fellow locals to suggest alternative ideas to help SIA tide through the COVID-19 pandemic that has pretty much halted all international travel.
YouTuber SneakySushii also expressed his disdain for the seemingly pointless flights, and also provided other suggestions for SIA in his video.
The ‘flights to nowhere’ initiative was SIA’s original plan to boost its revenue in view of the drastic decrease in the number of flights due to the global pandemic. The flights would have departed and landed at Changi Airport, and would last about three hours.
How has COVID-19 affected SIA’s revenue?
In the three months to end-June, SIA reported a net loss of $1.12 billion, which is on top of the $732 million loss from the first quarter of the year. In order to maintain liquidity of its funds, the carrier said that it would raise up to $15 billion through the sale of new shares and convertible bonds, backed by Temasek Holdings, its largest shareholder.
SIA’s chief executive, Goh Choon Phong explained, “with COVID-19 drastically reducing the number of flights operated by the SIA Group, we have created unique activities that would allow us to engage with our fans and customers during this time.”
