In our dystopian world of lockdowns and virtual meetings, many are finding themselves looking for love. And now, an airline is providing an interesting opportunity for single souls looking for their other half.
Taiwanese airline EVA Air, in partnership with travel company Mobius International launched “Fly!! Love is flying in the sky,” a flight to nowhere specifically for speed dating. “Fly out alone, return as a couple,” the event’s promo goes.
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Passengers can interact over meals prepared by Michelin-starred chef Motoke Nakamura on board a 3-hour flight to nowhere. The plane would take off from the Taipei airport, circle the airspace above Taiwan, and then land in the same airport.
Interested passengers can choose between three packages: Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. The Christmas package will take place over afternoon tea. In the New Year’s Eve package, passengers will have a romantic dinner before counting down to 2021 in the sky. The New Year’s Day package, meanwhile, would include breakfast as passengers catch the sunrise amongst the clouds. Tickets for each flight cost TW$8,388 ($292.20).
According to CNN Travel, seats will be randomly selected but passengers can freely walk around and talk to other participants on board. At the end of each flight, there will be a “confession” section where participants reveal who they clicked with most.
The thrill of finding “the one” on board a plane is further enhanced with flight attendants acting as “love cupids.”
“Because of COVID-19, EVA Air has been organizing ‘faux travel’ experiences to fulfill people’s desire for travel. When single men and women travel, apart from enjoying the fun in travel, they may wish to meet someone — like a scene in a romantic movie,” Chiang Tsung-Wei, the spokesperson for You and Me, the speed dating arm of Mobius, told CNN Travel.
Flights to nowhere is a growing trend amid the coronavirus pandemic, with similar services taking off in places like Taiwan, Brunei, and Australia.
Each of EVA Air’s speed dating flights will only accommodate 40 passengers, 20 men and 20 women. With such limited spots, there are certain requirements for participants. They have to be single, have at least a college degree, and have a household registration in Taiwan.
According to the Christmas package registration form, men would need to be between 28 to 38 years old, while women would need to be between 24 to 35. The age range for the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day packages have not been specified.
According to CNN Travel, all the 40 seats on the first flight sold out within a week, with over 400 applicants vying for spots. However, the next two “love flights” are open for applications starting today.
