The Rise of Flights to Nowhere and Their Future | Dinogo

Before the pandemic, the concept of airlines offering flights that return to the same destination after takeoff would have seemed absurd.

While sightseeing flights have long been available, they were typically provided by private aviation companies in select tourist locations.

However, with much of the global airline fleet grounded due to Covid-19, airlines had to think outside the box, leading to the rise of a new aviation trend.

In September 2020, a Qantas seven-hour sightseeing flight sold out in just 10 minutes. Later that year, passengers in Taiwan boarded an EVA Air flight offering speed-dating but no destination. By May 2021, tickets for a Qantas flight promising stunning views of a supermoon sold out in only 2.5 minutes.

As we enter the third year of the pandemic, travel restrictions are easing despite ongoing uncertainty with Omicron. Many airlines have told Dinogo Travel they are shifting focus away from flights to nowhere and are prioritizing the restoration of their regular schedules, although a few exceptions remain.

The 'Overwhelming' Popularity

These flights have typically operated in regions that had some of the strictest travel restrictions during the pandemic.

During Qantas' fall 2020 flight, Australia’s borders were completely closed. The flight, departing from Sydney, soared over landmarks like Byron Bay, the Gold Coast, the Great Barrier Reef, and Uluru before returning to Sydney.

Even as Australia’s borders remained shut, Qantas organized additional ‘mystery’ flights to nowhere, including the 2021 supermoon flight.

A Qantas representative told Dinogo Travel that the airline was 'overwhelmed' by the huge popularity of these unique flight experiences.

According to the spokesperson, 'These flights provided our customers with rare opportunities to reconnect with the joy of flying and travel, while also helping to keep our staff busy, our planes active, and promoting domestic tourism.'

Australian residents now have easier access to travel, and while the country remains closed to international visitors, a full reopening is anticipated later this year.

The Qantas spokesperson mentioned that the airline is now concentrating on resuming normal flight operations but didn’t completely rule out the possibility of reviving the flight to nowhere concept.

In the fall of 2020, Hong Kong Express, a subsidiary of Cathay Pacific, also offered short sightseeing flights within Hong Kong’s airspace. However, a Hong Kong Express spokesperson declined to comment on these flights, clarifying that they were organized by an external company.

EVA Air from Taiwan explained that their sightseeing flights were created 'to offer passengers a chance to enjoy the thrill of flying and experience the world from a fresh perspective' during a time when many international borders remained closed or heavily restricted.

Although Taiwan's travel restrictions are still in place, EVA Air noted that their flights to nowhere were available between August 2020 and April 2021, with no plans to reintroduce them at this time.

Many global airlines, including Qatar Airways, chose not to participate in the flight to nowhere trend and managed to keep their regular flight schedules running.

Qatar Airways has maintained its focus on repatriating passengers and addressing the challenges brought on by the global crisis, according to a spokesperson.

In the US, where domestic flights continued throughout the pandemic, the concept of flights to nowhere never gained traction.

Despite strict travel restrictions in many European countries, most European airlines avoided the trend. The notable exception was budget carrier Smartwings, which reportedly offered short sightseeing flights around Budapest in October 2020.

Other airlines found alternative ways to use their grounded planes during the pandemic.

While there were rumors that Singapore Airlines might offer sightseeing flights in the fall of 2020, a spokesperson told Dinogo Travel that the airline opted instead to focus on a range of initiatives with aircraft stationed at gates, including the 'Restaurant A380' pop-up at Singapore Changi Airport.

Japan's All Nippon Airways, the only airline to confirm it will continue offering sightseeing flights into 2022, has expanded its offerings with other aviation-themed experiences, such as selling inflight meals online, transforming aircraft into restaurants, and even planning weddings aboard its grounded A380.

All Nippon Airways has a Boeing 767 sightseeing flight planned for January 30, with two A380 'flights to nowhere' also scheduled for February.

Passenger Experience

Ke Huang, a travel and aviation enthusiast, was aboard Qantas' inaugural 'flight to nowhere' in the fall of 2020.

Huang shared with Dinogo Travel at the time, 'Flying at such low altitudes over these locations was a truly one-of-a-kind experience.'

Looking back on the flight, Huang said he fondly remembers the experience but has since embraced the opportunity to explore more as Australia has relaxed its border restrictions.

'Now that Australian citizens can travel freely and return without quarantine, the public interest in these flights has definitely faded, and I don’t foresee similar flights being organized anytime soon,' Huang noted.

However, the frequent traveler didn’t completely rule out future sightseeing flights, especially if the borders were to close again.

'I think everyone on that flight really enjoyed the experience and felt it was worth it,' Huang remarked. 'I'd definitely consider a similar experience if an airline were to offer one in the future.'

Dr. Tony Johnston, head of the Department of Hospitality, Tourism, and Leisure at Ireland's Technological University of the Shannon, noted that the 'novelty' of the flight to nowhere during the early pandemic phase would likely not be sustainable long-term.

'I don't expect this concept to evolve into a regular service in 2022,' Johnston told Dinogo Travel. 'As a product, it’s not particularly affordable, and without the reward of actually reaching a destination, I doubt there’ll be enough consumer interest for it to be commercially viable, especially with rising fuel and landing fees.'

Johnston also predicted that destinations will likely focus on boosting tourism in 2022 and will be less inclined to impose border closures.

'With the virus now widespread globally, and vaccination rates increasing, it’s unlikely we will see the same level of border restrictions as we did in 2020, and even less so in 2021,' he explained.

'Policymakers often stick to familiar strategies, and the financial draw of tourism will be difficult to resist in 2022. As a result, open borders are expected to render the need for such services redundant.'

Sustainability concerns

When airlines began offering tickets for flights to nowhere, concerns about their environmental impact were raised almost immediately.

'This flight may not reach a destination, but the harmful emissions certainly do. They end up in the atmosphere, where they contribute to the ongoing climate crisis,' a spokesperson from Friends of the Earth told Dinogo Travel in October 2020 after Qantas' first sightseeing flight.

Qantas assured passengers that it offset 100% of the emissions from its scenic flights, while EVA Air gave travelers the option to offset their own emissions using the airline's carbon calculator. An EVA spokesperson also mentioned that the airline prioritized using more fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliners for many of its sightseeing trips.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for All Nippon Airways shared that the airline had committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions from its operations by 2050.

'We acknowledge the criticism surrounding our charter flights, but to keep our fleets operational and ready for immediate deployment, it’s necessary to occasionally fly aircraft to maintain their airworthiness. These maintenance flights also serve other functions,' explained a spokesperson for All Nippon Airways.

Even airlines that haven’t conducted commercial flights to nowhere have faced backlash for flying unnecessarily during the pandemic, whether to keep aircraft and pilots in practice or to retain valuable airport slots.

Passenger Ke Huang acknowledged the environmental concerns surrounding flights to nowhere. 'I understand the criticism,' he said.

He expressed appreciation that Qantas offset emissions from its flights, but also highlighted the issue of airport slot management.

'Some argue that the problem isn’t solely caused by consumers; government regulations and red tape might also be partially to blame,' Huang added.

Tourism expert Johnston believes that more travelers are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their flying habits, and this growing awareness could spell the end for flights to nowhere.

'While there has always been a gap between attitudes and actions in tourism, it's clear that consumers are becoming more interested in reducing their personal carbon footprints,' he noted.

Johnston pointed out that once regular flight schedules resume, airlines may find it hard to justify continuing sightseeing flights.

'The airline industry isn’t exactly known for its strong environmental record, and even the most indulgent airline would struggle to defend this type of service, especially with increasing pressure from regulators,' he added.

Dr Marc Stettler, a senior lecturer in transport and environmental studies at Imperial College London, argued that carbon offsetting would not adequately address the issue of emissions.

'There is significant variation in the quality of carbon offsetting programs, and relying solely on them does not negate the environmental impact of these flights,' he explained to Dinogo Travel.

Stettler proposed that airlines could opt for flights to nowhere powered by sustainable aviation fuels, which could slightly improve the environmental footprint and create a modest demand for these fuels.

However, Stettler maintains that flights to nowhere are fundamentally unsustainable.

'From an environmental standpoint, these flights are wasteful and contribute to unnecessary emissions,' he stated.

'Captive audience.'

Although a few flights to nowhere are still planned for 2022, tourism expert Johnston believes they are unlikely to be a permanent part of airline schedules.

'I expect that we'll look back on the 'flight to nowhere' as one of the pandemic's more bizarre phenomena,' he remarked.

As for passenger Ke Yuang, he described the flight to nowhere as catering to a 'highly captive audience.'

'But travel is steadily returning to pre-pandemic norms,' Yuang said. 'Such scenic flights are becoming increasingly impractical and unlikely to happen again.'

Nonetheless, as a passionate aviation enthusiast, Yuang expressed gratitude for the opportunity to fly during a time when the world seemed frozen.

'People like me, we're thankful for the chances we get, and I seize them whenever they come up.'