Travel restrictions are in place across the globe due to the coronavirus outbreak and the airline industry is among the worst hit. In such harsh times, Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) has come up with an innovative way to boost their business. ANA has turned one of its aircraft into a high-end restaurant. Termed as Winged Restaurant, the 11-day dining experience costs a fortune but lets the guests enjoy a meal in the parked Boeing 777-300ER jet at Tokyo's Haneda Airport.
The diners get to enjoy the ambience of the first class and business class of the stationary jet. If you are interested in a six-course meal in business class, you will have to pay 29,800 Yens (around Rs 20,000). Then, there is a full course meal in the first class which comes for 59,800 Yens (close to Rs 40,000), reported BBC.
Runway dining at $540 a meal proving hit in Japan
The company claims the deal is still a bargain compared to the 500,000 Yens (around Rs. 3,34 lakh) one has to fork out for a long-haul flight, a Timeout report said. Diners can choose from a Japanese and Western menu.
Would you pay ¥59,800 to dine on a grounded aeroplane?
ANA has already scheduled 22 lunch and dinner sessions in April where the guests are allotted three hours per booking. There are no other entertainment activities inside the aircraft, the report added.
Singapore Airlines tried a similar experiment to cope up with the losses due to the pandemic. In October, they offered people an opportunity to dine in a parked Airbus A380. They successfully sold the first two seating dates despite the cost that reached 80 pounds (Rs. 38,500 approx).
British Airways To Scrap Free Meals
Recently, British Airways also ventured into the food business. However, they chose the option of home delivery of their menu from first class. The airways, in collaboration with their catering partner, DO & Co, provided cook-at-home meal kits. These were priced 80 pound(Rs. 8,000 approx) and above.
