0
0
Borrowing a line from the popular Eagle’s song, “you can check out anytime you like but you can never leave,” Taiwan just found a solution for travel-starved tourists where they can “check in anytime they like but they can never leave”.
One Taiwanese airport offers a wonderful solution – a fake itinerary where you check in, go through passport control and security and even board the aircraft, but, you’re not allowed to leave.
Taipei’s downtown Songshan airport began offering travelers the chance to enjoy a fake flight experience, with already 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.
This unique solution, and we bet many will follow suit, is to show off the airport’s renovations while passengers have stayed away, and show people what coronavirus-prevention steps they are taking.
Songshan usually has flights to Tokyo, Seoul and several Chinese cities, and is also an important domestic hub.
Taiwan has emerged relatively unscathed from the pandemic thanks to early and effective prevention steps, but has largely closed its borders since mid-March. It has advised citizens against overseas travel unless absolutely necessary.
With fewer flights operating, passenger numbers have plummeted 64% in the first five months of 2020 compared with the same period last year, according to the government.
Good job, Songshan for coming up with this “fake” but fun idea!
Average Rating