SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) decided to please its tourists — participants of the EuroBonus loyalty program — in an original way. A free flight was launched for tourists who earned 30 thousand points in the program. The offer was created for tourists with an adventurous spirit — the flight did not indicate the final destination.
“A brilliant creative trick.” — this is how tourists who were able to participation in the adventure described the flight. According to Dailymail, there were many applicants — about 6 thousand people submitted applications. The winning tourists received the exact date and time of departure, but they had no idea where they would fly. Also, the tourists knew that they would be accommodated in a hotel — the name of which, of course, was also not specified, but “the tourists believed that the carrier would not save money.”
The Unknown Destination flight eventually departed Copenhagen on April 5th. On the day of travel, not a single passenger, and even, as the airline assures, most of the crew, except the pilots, had any idea where they were flying. All “touchpoints”, such as the company’s application, were specially coded. All normal sources of data that might indicate where the plane was going were also disabled, and boarding passes were marked with XXX instead of the usual letter codes for destinations.
The secret was revealed only after a few hours of flight: the tourists discovered they were going to Athens. The airline also negotiated special hotel rates in advance. Upon arrival, tourists were also treated to free rooftop cocktail parties, farm-to-table lunches at a traditional Margi farm outside the capital, a trip to the thermal baths of Lake Vouliagmeni, and VIP tours of the Acropolis.
As the tourists who visited said, the adventure fascinated them not only with the high quality of preparation. Like-minded people, lovers of spontaneous adventures and experiences, gathered on board, which “created incredible connections” between guests on a flight without a destination. At the same time, the youngest on board is 19 years old, and the oldest is 81. “SAS managed to surprise me throughout the weekend. His attention to detail, chosen locations, and ability to create a great community among all travelers was amazing. I didn’t expect that this experience would bring me so many new friends and connections,” said one of the flight participants.