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SINGAPORE – Her young child slept peacefully for four hours during the flight from Muscat to Singapore, the mother told Singapore Airlines (SIA) in-flight manager Gan Bee Bee.
That was the longest undisturbed sleep the little boy had enjoyed in two weeks, the mother added. And after waking, he danced in the Airbus A350 cabin during the repatriation flight from the capital of Oman.
“Thinking about that, I think it was worthwhile,” said Ms Gan, 47, an SIA veteran of 25 years.
Ms Gan and the 12 cabin crew members did their best to ensure the peace and comfort of the passengers during the national carrier’s first repatriation flight from Muscat.
The in-flight manager also tried to keep her colleagues’ spirits up by telling them to “think about what you would like to have for supper tonight” and reminding them that they would be touching down in Singapore soon enough.
And her own source of motivation? Enjoying chwee kueh the next morning.
The passengers were quite emotional during take-off from Muscat, with some cheering, tearing up or gazing out of the windows in deep thought, said Ms Gan.
“One of our passengers told us: ‘I’m finally home after several tries’,” she added.
It was one of two SIA repatriation flights from Muscat in March to take Singaporeans and their dependants home.
When the plane landed at Changi Airport, Ms Gan said she was touched by the announcement welcoming Singaporeans and Singapore residents home.
At the arrival hall, the in-flight manager ran into the young daughter of a passenger – dressed in a miniature sarong kebaya uniform – who thanked her for bringing her father home.
