“Flights to nowhere” have been gaining more popularity, during an era of bordure closures; in turn, these flights have been getting more and more unusual. Thai Airways, for instance, launched a flight for the sole purpose of Buddhist chanting. However, EVA Air‘s latest instalment will see Taiwanese romantics searching for “love in the sky”; the purpose of the flight being for that of speed dating, bringing a whole new meaning to loving aviation.
EVA Air, Taiwan’s second-largest airline, has partnered with local dating company Mobius to offer “Love is in the Air” flights. Taiwanese college-educated singles can (hopefully) meet their match on Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, all the while sampling gourmet Michelin-starred cuisine and taking in stunning views to match.
Two Romantic Routes
Each flight will last approximately three hours, although Mobius hopes that the relationships forged onboard will extend a little longer. The quota for each flight varies, but Mobius states that each flight will carry 16-20 men and the same number of women. Even better, everyone will be assigned a “seat buddy” of the opposite gender; this being someone that the passenger will (hopefully) bond with until the seatbelt sign is turned off.
Daytime flights, departing on Christmas and New Year’s Day, will take what Mobius calls an “East Coast Route”, taking in the “beautiful scenery of the East Coast, the Huadong [East Rift] Valley and the western tip of the Ryukyu Islands in Japan”.
For those who prefer a dinner date, Mobius promises that romantics will “enjoy the moon from high altitude” while overflying Taiwan’s west coast cities (Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung) and the Ryukyu Islands.
For the humble price of NT$8388 ($295) passengers will be able to indulge in either a gourmet breakfast, a lunch or a dinner, depending on the flight, as well as Haagen-Dazs ice cream on tap (a brand that represents the ultimate in Western frozen desserts in Taiwan).
Here’s the catch: every passenger must be a single (obviously) not only that but they must also hold a “college degree or above” and conform with strict age requirements (28-38 for men and 24-35 for women).
What do you think about EVA’s latest offering? Would you choose to confine yourself to a metal tube during the risky dating process? Let us know in the comments.