You can check in but you can never leave: Taiwan offers fake flights for tourists starved of travel in pandemic
- Thousands applied for the chance to check in, go through passport control and security and board Airbus A330 – before getting off again
- During flight simulation, Taipei’s Songshan airport showed off renovations done while most travellers were grounded
On Thursday, Taipei’s downtown Songshan airport began offering travellers the chance to do just that, with some 60 people eager to get going, albeit to nowhere.
Around 7,000 people applied to take part, the winners chosen by random. More fake flight experiences will take place in coming weeks.
“I really want to leave the country, but because of the epidemic lots of flights can’t fly,” said Hsiao Chun-wei, 38, who brought her young son.
The passengers got boarding passes and proceeded through security and immigration before boarding an Airbus A330 of Taiwan’s largest carrier, China Airlines, where flight attendants chatted to them.
“I hope the epidemic ends soon so we can really fly away,” said a 48-year-old woman who gave her family name as Tsai.