ANA offers weddings on plane grounded by pandemic

All Nippon Airways has been offering couples the chance to tie the knot in ceremonies aboard an aircraft it has been forced to ground as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hit international travel. The service, launched in late May, will be available until June 13 on the Boeing B-777 passenger jet at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. The company said that seven couples in all will have wedding ceremonies on board and it has finished accepting reservations. During the onboard ceremony, the airline provides live music, an inflight announcement by cabin crew to congratulate the newlyweds and celebrate their marriage, and special lighting to project an image of the galaxy on the ceiling of the cabin, ANA said. ANA is offering the onboard wedding for some Y1.56m ($14,200) and a combination of the ceremony and a party with food in the terminal building for Y3m. The airline said it came up with the unique idea to interest couples who, despite May and June being among the busiest months for marriages, are refraining from holding ceremonies to avoid crowding amid the pandemic. Weddings have also been hit by the ban on serving alcohol at party venues in areas under the current virus state of emergency.<br/>