Mumbai, May 26: A 40-year-old man recently got to fly alone to Dubai from Mumbai on a 360-seater Boeing 777 aircraft. The lucky man is Bhavesh Javeri, who has been residing in Dubai for the past 20 years. Bhavesh Javeri bought the Rs 18,000 economy class ticket and travelled to Dubai on Boeing 777 aircraft, the world's largest twin-engine jet, on May 19. He was sole passenger on the Emirates flight EK501 and received special treatment from the crew. Pune Man Wears Gold Face Mask Worth Almost 3 Lakhs Amid Coronavirus Pandemic.

"The airhostesses applauded when I stepped into the aircraft," Javeri, CEO of Stargems Group, was quoted by TOI as saying. He also recorded a video while boarding for the first. "I have flown so much, but this is the best flight ever," he can be heard telling the air hostesses as he walks in. The commander also waves at him from the cockpit and later comes for a chit chat with him. "I thought you would be scared to travel alone," an airhostess is heard telling Javeri. The Mysterious 'Jet Pack Guy' in Los Angeles is Back! New Sighting of Man Flying Near Plane Captured on Video.

Since Javeri was the sole passenger, the inflight public address was delivered directly addressed to him. "Mr Javeri, please fasten your seat belt...Mr Javeri, we are preparing to land."Javeri recalled: "After we landed, I walked out leisurely and picked up my bag, the only one lying next to a conveyor belt." But why did Emirates burn about 17 tonnes of fuel worth Rs 8 lakh to fly a lone economy-class passenger?

It is because the United Arab Emirates or UAE has placed restrictions on passengers coming from India due to coronavirus pandemic. Currently, only UAE nationals, holders of UAE Golden visa and members of diplomatic mission can fly from India to UAE. "It's probably a case of good passenger load on one direction, say, when they flew from Dubai to Mumbai, and then poor on the return leg. The airline would have operated the return leg anyway, even with zero paying passengers on board," explained an official with an Indian carrier.

Javeri described his solo journey as "money can't buy experience". "I was elated. I had flown a charter flight from Dubai to Mumbai last June with nine passengers on a 14-seater aircraft. But it was nowhere close to this money-can't-buy experience," he said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 26, 2021 11:34 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).