‘Very Important Panda’ Le Le will get first class treatment from SIA on his flight to China

A VIP, or Very Important Panda as dubbed by Singapore Airlines (SIA), will soon experience something many people can only dream of – special first class treatment on a private SIA flight.

With personal escorts, specially curated meals and a custom-made seat, Singapore-born giant panda cub Le Le will embark on his first flight as he heads from Singapore to Chengdu on Tuesday (Jan 16) at 7.15pm.

According to the Chinese panda loan agreements, cubs born on foreign soil should be returned to China when they turn two years old.

Le Le made his final appearance on Dec 13 at Pavilion Capital Giant Panda Forest at River Wonders before he began his four-and-a-half-week quarantine. 

“In preparation for his flight, he has undergone a thorough health check and assessed to be in the pink of health,” SIA said in a press release on Jan 15.

Le Le will be transported in a customised travel crate in a temperature-controlled air-conditioned truck from Mandai River Safari to Changi Airport. The crate, which took two weeks to build, has removable plywood boards at each end to facilitate feeding and checks when needed.

To ensure Le Le’s travels stay stress-free, the Mandai Wildlife Group’s animal care team has been conditioning him to voluntarily enter and stay in the crate using food rewards. 

Once Le Le reaches the airport, his crate and travel essentials will be loaded and strapped into an SIA pallet, which will then be directly lifted onto the SIA Boeing 747-400F freighter aircraft’s nose door. 

The pallet will be locked in position to minimise movement during the flight. 

His specially curated in-flight meal, which consists of bamboo, bamboo shoots, fruits, pellets and water, will also be brought up to the plane.

So, who is going to serve this VIP?

Instead of the usual SIA cabin crew, Le Le will be joined by a keeper and veterinarian from Mandai Wildlife group, as well as a keeper from China. Seated in the upper deck, they will have easy access to the main deck for regular checks on Le Le’s comfort and well-being throughout the four-and-a-half-hour flight. 

SIA has also made arrangements for the ambient cabin temperature. The aircraft will be pre-cooled an hour prior to departure and will be maintained at between 12°C and 16°C, with the humidity kept low.

Similar to the temperature in Le Le’s habitat at River Wonders, this ensures a comfortable in-flight environment for the VIP. 

The flight to Chengdu will be operated by one Captain and one First Officer, and another two pilots will be on board to operate the return flight to Singapore. 

According to chief pilot Captain Nithaar Zain, the pilots will take a gentle rate of climb and descent to ensure Le Le's maximum comfort, and will check for weather changes regularly for information on turbulence.

Once Le Le reaches Chengdu, he will continue receiving star treatment. 

Two SIA loadmasters, who ensure that cargo is safely loaded on and off aircrafts, will travel to Chengdu ahead of Le Le’s arrival to ensure he has a smooth arrival and on-ground handling.

One of them had also supported the 2012 operations when Le Le’s parents, Kai Kai and Jia Jia, arrived in Singapore from Chengdu. 

Working together with ground handlers in Chengdu, the loadmasters will make sure Le Le’s pallet is safely unloaded from the aircraft, and his crate is transferred to his next mode of transport.

Le Le is set to arrive in Chengdu at about 11.30pm and will be transported to a quarantine facility in Huaying, Guang’an City, in Sichuan province.

“Singapore Airlines is happy to do our part by providing Le Le with a safe and comfortable journey to Chengdu, in support of conservation programmes in Singapore and around the world,” said Senior Vice President Cargo of Singapore Airlines, Marvin Tan. 

“We are sure Le Le is going to have many new fans in China, and we hope he settles down happily in his new home.”