Movies, dining on grounded planes: Singaporeans’ counterproposals to SIA’s ‘flights to nowhere’

Environmentalists in Singapore, concerned about carbon emissions, seek ideas from the public to help the carrier generate income

Analysts say SIA’s plans to start flights-to-nowhere would not generate recurring revenue and could hit its corporate image

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Singapore Airlines is considering starting ‘flights to nowhere’ as a way to generate earnings. Photo: Handout

Published: 12:04pm, 16 Sep 2020Updated: 12:14pm, 16 Sep 2020

Members of the public have come up with hundreds of ideas to help Singapore Airlines (SIA) generate much-needed revenue during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as using grounded planes to screen movies or hold matchmaking sessions. The fees charged could vary depending on whether customers are in economy, business or first class.

The ideas are being put forward in a bid to avert a proposal that SIA is reportedly considering: Starting “flights to nowhere”, where passengers fly out of Singapore and back without landing anywhere else, as a way to generate earnings.

The collation of ideas began when four environmentalists from environmental group Neighbourhood Greenwatch banded together to try and protest the supposed plan, which was first reported by The Straits Times on September 13.

Melanie Ang, who is one of the organisers of the “Save SIA” initiative, said: “We started brainstorming (in our Telegram chat group) about ways that SIA could generate income without causing more harm to the environment. Someone in the group suggested that we create a submission form for people to submit their ideas.”

Besides Ang, 26, a content creator, the other organisers are: Chevon Low, 30, a board member at non-profit organisation People’s Movement to Stop Haze; Sean Yap, 21, a first-year undergraduate from the Singapore University of Technology and Design; and Mark Tszo, 37, who is looking for a job.