Airport offers ‘fake’ flights to tourists

STARVED of the travel experience during the novel coronavirus lockdown? One Taiwan airport has the solution — a fake itinerary where you check in, go through passport control and security and even board the aircraft. You just never leave.

Taipei’s downtown Songshan airport began offering travelers the chance to do just that last week, 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 Taiwan, 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.

The airport is using the event to show off renovations completed 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 mainland cities, and is also an important regional hub.

Taiwan has emerged relatively unscathed from the pandemic thanks to early and effective prevention steps, but has largely closed its airports since midMarch. It has advised citizens against outbound travel unless absolutely necessary.

With fewer flights operating, passenger numbers have plummeted 64 percent in the first five months of 2020 compared with the same period last year, according to the authority.

Still, in one bright spot, internal travel is booming.

Taiwan’s two main regional carriers — China Airlines unit Mandarin Airlines and Eva Air’s Uni Air — have added extra capacity over the summer to Taiwan’s sun-soaked offshore islands and rugged east coast.

(Reuters)