‘The craziest flight I’ve ever been on - but not for the reason you might think’

In my years of travelling the globe, on occasion I have flown with various celebrities, a couple of Gold Logie winners, some Olympians and even a former PM.

But despite such illustrious company, I’ve never been high in the skies with a superhero, which is what made low-cost airline Scoot’s invitation to take part in the first Spider-Man themed flight so tempting.

I’ve flown Scoot many times over the past decade; sometimes from Sydney into Singapore, and other times long-haul to Vienna and Athens.

As a low-cost offering, I’ve always found their no-frills approach a great trade-off for bargain fares.

But Scoot’s venture into movie-themed travel, to coincide with the launch of Spider-Man: Brand New Day in cinemas, is different.

It comes with the plane cabin decked out in Spider-Man dressing; giant Spider-Man decals on the cabin walls, headrest covers with his piercing spidery eyes, a Peter Parker welcome aboard announcement and some fun and games on-board.

Read more

Would you pay $20 to skip the airport security line?

A silent flight

After flying in from Sydney, the inaugural Spider-Man flight was between Singapore and Tokyo. It’s a seven-hour journey, and I’m in 6F, the front-row aisle seat in the ‘Scoot in Silence’ section.

‘Scoot in Silence’ is the five-row cabin sandwiched between the premium economy-style ScootPlus and regular economy, but sitting here comes at a cost – an extra $39 when booking online and $25 if upgrading onboard.

No one aged under 12 is permitted, so there are no crying babies or children climbing over seats. I can’t lie – I love this section for that very reason, and the legroom is just a little larger than regular economy by about five centimetres.

The seats also have a headrest with side wings, and by a stroke of luck, I have the row to myself. But as the armrests are fixed, it’s not possible to lie down across the seats.

Knowing the rules

From previous trips I’ve learned there’s one thing to understand to make a Scoot trip easier – if you want it, you pay for it.

Water and drinks, meals, pillows, blankets and ear plugs are all available at a cost, so keep your credit card ready. If you want an airfare bargain, this is the other side of the equation.

There’s also no seat-back entertainment and Wi-Fi comes at an additional cost, so it’s best to download what you want to watch on your own devices.

In a probably not-all-together-appropriate flight choice, I have the Idris Elba airline action drama Hijack to binge on my laptop. While in the cabin images of Spider-Man are everywhere, on my screen, Idris attempts to solve a high-stakes, sky-high drama when terrorists take over a plane.

There’s one meal included with my ticket, and I have the tasty Ginger Teriyaki Chicken, which comes with a soft drink and delicious lemon cake slice.

I also have a Scoot tradition – the Nacho Chips with special cheese sauce. I don’t think there is even one natural ingredient in the combination, but I love every mouthful. Meals start from $12, with soft drinks from $4 and alcohol from $9. 

There are also special Spider-Man meal deals available, with a Spider-Man key ring included and a themed tote bag with the purchase of certain duty-free items. 

Superhero in action

While the dressing throughout the plane sets the theme, the Spider-Man action kicks into gear when the crew parade appear with a flourish wearing Spider-Man masks with the announcement there’s lucky seat prize gift bags to be won.

Adding to the effect, the cabin turns a kaleidoscope of shades of red.

The Scoot crew get into the spirit as they prowl up and down the aisle, handing out prizes to the winners.

Some people wake up with a start with all the activity, but it adds some colour and movement to the flight experience.

Read more

‘Inside the most staggering airport I’ve ever been to’

Coming in to land

As the pilot announces we’re beginning the descent into Tokyo, the Spider-Man theme has added a sense of fun – not enough to dominate proceedings, but great for super-hero fans, and it added some colour to the usual good, if simple, Scoot service.

The themed flights are into Australian cities including Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, and across the network to destinations in China, Japan, the Philippines and Thailand 

As I finish bingeing the final episode of Hijack just as we come into land, I figure who needs Idris Elba to save the day – we’ve had Spider-Man keeping us safe all the way.

The writer travelled as a guest of Scoot Airlines and YOTELAIR at Changi Airport. The Scoot Spider-Man flights continue until mid-September.