15-1-2024 (SINGAPORE) Singapore Airlines (SIA) is rolling out the red carpet for its VIP passenger, but it’s not a celebrity or dignitary – it’s Le Le, the Singapore-born giant panda cub. Le Le is set to take his maiden flight to Chengdu, and SIA is ensuring he experiences the utmost comfort and care during the journey.
Le Le, born in Singapore, will be returning to China under the terms of Chinese panda loan agreements when he turns two. His final appearance at the Pavilion Capital Giant Panda Forest at River Wonders was on Dec 13, 2023, and since then, he has been in quarantine in preparation for his flight.
The special treatment begins with Le Le being transported from Mandai to Changi Airport in a customised crate, measured at 1.7m long, 1.1m wide, and 1.3m high. The crate, Le Le’s “seat” during the 4½-hour flight on a Boeing 747-400F freighter, features removable plywood boards for mealtimes and checks.
Panda keepers from Mandai Wildlife Group have been conditioning Le Le to enter the crate voluntarily by using food rewards. At the airport, his crate will be loaded and secured onto a pallet, ensuring priority boarding through the nose door onto the main deck of the plane.
While Le Le may not have an SIA cabin crew attending to him, he will be accompanied by Mandai Wildlife Group’s assistant curator Trisha Tay, a veterinarian, and a keeper from China. The ambient cabin temperature will be maintained between 12°C and 16°C, similar to Le Le’s habitat temperature.
Le Le’s in-flight meal will be a specially curated selection of up to 50kg of his favorite foods, including bamboo, bamboo shoots, apples, carrots, and pellets. Mr Gajandran Sokayan, assistant manager for dangerous goods and special cargo at SIA, emphasized the meticulous preparations for Le Le’s flight, from pre-cooling the aircraft to careful crate loading.
The flight to Chengdu will be operated by one captain and one first officer, with two additional pilots on board for the return flight to Singapore. Captain Nithaar Zain, the chief pilot, highlighted the gentle takeoff and landing to ensure Le Le’s comfort. The flight crew will review procedures with keepers and the veterinarian before takeoff.
Two SIA loadmasters will also travel to Chengdu to welcome Le Le and support on-ground handling. Le Le will be transported to a quarantine facility in Huaying, Guang’an City, in Sichuan province upon arrival in Chengdu.
