‘Flight to Nowhere’ a big hit
https://apicms.thestar.com.my/uploads/images/2021/07/31/1239583.jpgKOTA KINABALU: They may not be able to fly to Sabah but 96 passengers on one of South Korea’s largest low-cost airlines, Jin Air, boarded a flight to nowhere with the state’s tourism attractions being the showcase.
All the passengers boarded the “Jin Air Flight to Nowhere” and were treated to attractions in Sabah, including being offered special activities and benefits, during the two-hour flight within South Korean airspace.
Passengers were offered goodie bags prepared by Jin Air and Sabah Tourism Board while the major duty-free shops in South Korea – Shilla, Lotte and Shinsegae – offered duty-free sales.
According to the Sabah Tourism Board, the Jin Air cabin crew also prepared entertainment including quizzes and a lucky draw to keep the flight interesting.
Among the lucky draw prizes were round-trip tickets from Incheon to Kota Kinabalu, sponsored by the airline, hotel stays, and sunset cruise vouchers which it sponsored, Sabah Tourism Board said in a statement.
Since international flights were suspended because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the South Korean government has supported the aviation and tourism industries by allowing so-called flights to nowhere.
Passengers are flown around, with the theme of the destination playing a major role.
These flights have proven very popular among people who want to get a nostalgic feel for pre-pandemic travel.
“People clearly miss flying. These experiences will surely offer opportunities for them to remember Kota Kinabalu as a top-of-the-mind tourist destination,” Tourism Malaysia (South Korea) director Shaharuddin Yahya said.
With the success of the first “flight to nowhere” project, Sabah Tourism and Tourism Malaysia’s Seoul office are planning to do this with other Korean airlines including Air Busan and Jeju Air, with an increased number of flights in August.
“Flight to nowhere is the closest thing to travelling abroad and it accommodates travel-starved travellers,” Sabah Tourism Board general manager Noredah Othman said.
“We welcome South Koreans to visit us again once international travel borders reopen,” she added.
The flight to nowhere was held last Sunday at 12.40pm. It took off from Incheon International Airport, taking a low-flying route over South Korea’s Daegu and Busan areas, and entered Japanese airspace before returning to Incheon at 2.30pm.
Sabah was one of the top holiday destinations in South-East Asia among South Koreans prior to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Nearly 400,000 South Koreans were recorded visiting Sabah in 2019 with 67 direct flights departing from Incheon, Busan or Muan to Kota Kinabalu.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/07/31/flight-to-nowhere-a-big-hit
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