The Singapore Airlines A350’s inaugural flight to Amsterdam took off from Singapore’s Changi Airport on May 9, 2016, landing in the Dutch capital the next day. Among the passengers were ardent fans Jason Lin (second from left), Sim Kwok Chee (third from left) and Benny Zheng (second from right), who met on the Internet and bonded over their love of aviation and, to be precise, Singapore Airlines. This was not the first time the group had flown together.
“We try to travel as often as our schedules permit. Singapore Airlines’ service is always good, and I love the food onboard its flights. Travelling so often, I get homesick and Singapore Airlines’ Asian meal options are always great,” says Sim, who was on the Airline’s Boeing 777-200 inaugural flight to Jakarta in 1997, and its first A380 flight to Sydney. This was one “huge party, with lots of celebrating and good food,” says Sim. Zheng agrees, “We love the atmosphere of a new flight. You feel like you’re part of history.”
To further get into the spirit, the trio wore specially designed T-shirts, which they had printed. The T-Shirts featured a photo taken during an SIA training flight.
A loyal fan, Lin admitted he was only there for the ride – and would be returning to Taiwan, his home country, the next day. But for Lin, the comfort and ambience of an inaugural SIA flight were worth the journey.
This article was originally published by Singapore Press Holdings.