Traveler accidentally books 4-hour ‘ghost flight’ for solo birthday trip

There are few joys greater than boarding a plane and discovering that the seat next to you is empty. But what if you had the entire plane to yourself?

It’s called a “ghost flight,” and one man recently found himself in the strange and somewhat creepy scenario after booking a trip to Fiji for his birthday.

According to his now-viral TikTok, posted on Jan. 16, the trip took place in January 2022. That was when Robbie Allen (@robbieallen) arrived at the Sydney Airport in Australia, only to be greeted by a ghost town once he arrived at his gate.

@robbieallen

It was creepy at first but then amazing, just wish I hadn’t already paid for business class 🤦🏽‍♂️😅 (don’t judge my horrible tik tok skills lol) #virginaustralia @Virgin Australia #fypシ #fiji #fyp #zyxcba #sydney #fijitiktok #australia #maori #avgeek #aviation

♬ original sound – Robbie Allen

It’s not as though Allen booked a low-budge carrier to get there — he was flying Virgin Airlines and booked a business-class ticket so his trip would be extra luxurious. Little did he know that he probably could have saved the cash since the entire plane was at his disposal.

“When I got on, they were like, ‘You’re the only person, you’re the only person on the plane,’” Allen says in the video. 

At one point, the captain came over to sit and chat with him, and throughout the flight, the staff kept dropping by to check in and offer him “whatever” he wanted.

In other words, Allen was living his best life for the four-and-a-half-hour journey.

“I like, literally have the whole plane to myself,” he giggles while panning the camera around to show how empty the flight is. “I’m the VIP!”

@robbieallen

Replying to @hblaze8 hahaha this was my Instagram story when I cleared customs and saw it just sitting there all sad and alone 😅

♬ original sound – Robbie Allen

In the comments, a lot of people weighed in on how they would have reacted in his shoes.

“This is literally an introvert’s dream!” wrote one person. “It’s me. I’m the introvert lol.”

“Having the toilet to yourself!” someone else exclaimed.

“That must have been so sick,” added another user.

A few people did say they’d be weirded out by it, though.

“My anxiety could never…“ one person admitted.

“How lonely would that be?” said someone else.

“I would be FREAKING OUT at the empty fate thinking I had the wrong gate!” another person shared.

Allen had a similar initial reaction, writing, “It was creepy at first, but then amazing” in his caption.

@robbieallen

Replying to @hiwamaiangi I had an amazing trip, as I always do when I go to Fiji. There is just so much to do and the resorts are all beautiful! Especially this one @radissonbluresortfiji

♬ Siviyara Me Yara – Remix – DJ Noiz & Cagi Mudre Ni Delani Ravoravo

Believe it or not, a few people even shared similar experiences on other flights.

“This happened to me on a flight from Japan to Australia,” wrote one person. “Seriously. I was the only person on the plane.”

“This was exactly what happened when I flew to Dubai, but it was a couple of us,” said someone else. “We bunched up and talked through it.”

In the end, Allen’s great flight got even better when he went to baggage claim and immediately found his suitcase without a problem.

The trip itself was pretty sweet, too. In several follow-up videos, the TikToker shared views from his hotel in Fiji, where staff treated him like a king for his birthday, and he relaxed in the pool for most of his stay.

@robbieallen

Replying to @juggy_p Thank you, yes my birthday is January 31st. This is what the hotel (Radisson Blue Denarau) surprised me with!

♬ original sound – Robbie Allen

“I had an amazing trip, as I always do when I go to Fiji,” Allen wrote in one of his TikTok captions. ”There is just so much to do and the resorts are all beautiful!”

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