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Just when you think you have seen it all, Taiwan offers fake flights to nowhere. Taipei’s Songshan Airport (TSA) came up with an innovative solution for the travel starved citizens, they started offering authentic airport and boarding experience, on flights that go nowhere, for select travellers. 2020, could you be more bizarre?!
Taiwan offers fake flights – Songshan Airport
The fake flight experience is part of a campaign to showcase the airport’s recent renovations and display the COVID-prevention steps in place for flight travel. The airport accepted ~7000 applicants for this experience and shortlisted 60 lucky passengers, through online draw, who got the full airport experience without the flights taking off. Passengers were ‘treated’ to a boarding pass, full security and immigration checks, before boarding a China Airlines A330 flight to nowhere. Onboard, the passengers were greeted by China Airlines flight attendants who were available for a chat.
The experience was so successful that the airport has announced more fake flight experiences since. Songshan Airport’s fake travel program will continue for another two rounds, on July 4 and 6, respectively, each lasting 3.5 hours.
Songshan airport is located in downtown Taipei, a key domestic hub connecting several Chinese cities and also offers flights to Seoul and Tokyo. The airport recently celebrated its 70th anniversary (video).
Flight routes out of TSA
Shongshan Airport (TSA) routes:
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- 7 domestic flight routes, reaching destinations including Makung, Hualien, Taitung, Kinmen, Matsu Nangan, Matsu Beigan, and Hengchun.
- Cross-Strait flights reaching 13 destinations including Shanghai (Pudong and Hongqiao),Hangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Tianjin, Wuhan, Chengdu, Chongqing, Nanning, Taiyuan, Hefei, and Wenzhou.
- International flights reaching 2 destinations including Tokyo Haneda and Korea Gimpo.
A success story (relatively speaking) in tackling COVID-19, Taiwan has strict guidelines on international travel. From June 29, 2020, foreign nationals who wish to travel to Taiwan for reasons other than tourism and regular social visits may apply for a special entry permit. Upon entering Taiwan, all foreign nationals must present an English-language certificate of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of boarding the flight to Taiwan and undergo a 14-day home quarantine period. However, domestic travel and life in general has shown great gains in recent weeks, with several restrictions lifted in Taiwan.
Title Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
