Australia’s national airline Qantas has rolled out an even greater treat after its extremely successful ‘flight to nowhere’ campaign. This time its flights to, well, somewhere.
With aviation largely halted around the world and many national borders closed, during downtime, airlines had to get creative.
Qantas’ cheeky ‘flight to somewhere’ is directed at Australian travelers who aren’t able to leave the country but still want to get out and have a holiday. The program is a 24-hour getaway to Uluru from Sydney, including sightseeing and a hotel stay. It will be held from 5-6 December.
The schedule is outlined in a press release from Qantas. Travelers will depart from Sydney at 8 AM, then head off into the Northern Territory. When visitors arrive at Uluru, at night, they will get to experience the Field of Light exhibit, eat a three-course meal under the stars, and learn about the past and meaning of Uluru from members of the Indigenous community.
Guests will be staying at Sails in the Desert that night which is an upscale resort nearby. However, wake-up time is early, but worth it as the team will be able to watch the sunrise over Uluru, then have brunch before returning to Sydney on the plane.
Flyers were able to get spectacular views of destinations including Uluru and Sydney Harbour on Qantas’ ‘flight to nowhere,’ a seven-hour sightseeing tour across the world, as the plane flew lower than usual. The idea caught on with travelers and tickets sold out in half an hour, despite some worries about carbon emissions.
Low-flying planes will also be part of the ‘flight to somewhere,’ with fly-bys offering passengers aerial views of these famous Australian landmarks at the beginning and end of the journey.
The flight from Sydney to Uluru, which takes approximately three and a half hours, is on a route usually operated by Jetstar, a low-cost airline owned by Qantas. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, it has been on pause.
Uluru
Formerly known by its colonial name of Ayers Rock, Uluru is sacred to the Indigenous people of Australia. For the Anangu people, who have a long historical link to the site, it holds special significance.
It was officially closed to climbers in October 2019, spurring a wave of last-minute travel. In a typical non-pandemic year, more than 300,000 people visit Uluru annually. The rock is 1.142 feet tall, which makes it taller than the Eiffel Tower.
Economy-rate packages are $1,730 for the ‘flight to somewhere’ experience and $2,286 for a Business Class package.
