11,000 sold so far , and Peach Aviation is seeing the success of it's experimentation, that attempted to re-inject some frivolity with its new “mystery” flights, which are being sold in vending machines.
Peach Aviation first placed such a machine in Osaka in mid-August as a marketing ploy , that dispensed capsules with surprise trips inside, Since then, the airline has sold good amount of capsules, which included as many as 150 in a day, that encourage the company to set up a second vending machine in a department store in Tokyo's Shibuya district.
The popularity of flight tickets to mystery destinations sold for 5,000 yen (about $44) through capsule vending machines by this Japanese low-cost carrier Peach Aviation is making some news, atleast in Japan !
Sales of the capsules began on Dec. 17 for flights on all 23 Peach Aviation routes arriving at Narita International Airport and Kansai International Airport. Amid the prolonged effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the airline explained,
"As people tend to lack an interest in traveling now, we wanted them to regain the excitement of travel. We'd like them to let their luck choose the destination, and go on a journey in search of an unexpected encounter."
A user can buy a mystery "travel lot" for 5,000 yen and push the button on a vending machine to obtain a capsule which will include a name of a city where Peach Aviation operates flights.
A per instance, there are 11 destinations from Narita including Sapporo in northern Japan, Kansai in western Japan, Fukuoka, Kagoshima and the island of Amami-Oshima in southwest Japan, as well as Naha and Ishigaki Island in Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa.
It has become a hot topic mainly for young people, mainly on SNS, and videos related to "#Travel Lottery" have been played over 5.4 million times on TikTok.
The lot will give the passenger 6,000 yen's (roughly $53) worth of points to purchase a ticket for the specified route. One can even receive 10,000 yen's (approx. $88) worth of points if they're lucky.
The exchange code is valid for about half a year from the purchase of the travel lottery (you can purchase flights more than half a year ahead if the ticket is on sale).
For the in-flight sales that began on Dec. 17, flight attendants will go around the cabin with a transparent tote bag containing 15 capsules during flights, instead of having customers buy capsules from a vending machine.
A flight attendant will make an in-flight announcement saying,
"Why not feel the excitement of travel through a lottery to test your luck for your next trip?" and passengers who buy the flight tickets will wear gloves as an infection prevention measure and choose a capsule.
Peach Aviation launched the scheme to let passengers enjoy the excitement of not being able to choose their own destination as well as the chance of unexpected encounters and discoveries.
Through the use of the "travel lots," the company aims to change the concept of traveling with a destination already in mind, and provide an opportunity for people to embark on a journey.
It seems that you may win some good-value capsules, but the good-value is not the selling point. "It's a win if you come up with a capsule of a destination that you never thought of.
Aya Yamasaki at Peach Aviation's business strategy office said,
"We were initially hoping to sell 30 capsules a month, so we're surprised they've become this popular. They're targeted at those who want to go somewhere, and not people who want a good deal, so passengers who have a fixed destination in mind should purchase airline tickets on sale and elsewhere.
" The firm has received various feedback from users such as, "I'm glad to have been able to travel to a place I never knew."
The vending machines are installed at the Parco shopping complex in Shibuya in Tokyo, as well at Sakae in Nagoya, Shinsaibashi in Osaka, and Tenjin in Fukuoka. Peach Aviation is considering installing them in other areas in the future.
