The tour kicks off with you being issued a passport for the day. The kids get a cute Children Passport. Oh, how we wish we were going overseas for real. 

You know that excited feeling you get when you line up for the gate before you fly? Well... almost. But not quite. Still cool, though. 

History is important. Check out the evolution of the airline and grab a photo with the immaculate Singapore Girls and the iconic trishaw.  

Everything is a potential photo op and worthy of the 'gram. 

Where the Singapore Girl learns to behave, walk, talk and even climb stairs. The crew will also be assessed before every flight to make sure they are not overweight, and keep within a certain BMI (the maximum is 22). 

The room where cabin crew are educated on how to look the part. We're sure you've heard about how SQ girls have to use certain lipstick, eyeshadow and nail colours. The rules aren't draconian, but there are standards and guidelines, and if someone steps out of line (or lipstick shade), she's quickly advised to switch to an approved colour. The cabin crew are also given approved hairstyles and have to seek approval if they want to change their hairstyles. 

To everyone's delight, we were all given packs of SQ's in-flight nuts. 

SQ girls train in these replica cabins, where they learn how to serve, deal with passengers, help with seats and overhead storage, and basically pretend it's all the real deal.

This sure looks like we're in the middle of a flight. When did they say the Singapore-Hongkong air bubble will resume again? 

Flight to dreamland? 

Cheap thrills, but guests are allowed to have a seat and take pics. Pretend you're on a Business Class flight to somewhere. 

Those who scored tickets to the tour or add-on experiences can get some nice photo ops with SIA cabin crew and the chance to buy souvenirs and sit in the staff canteen for an 'in-flight' meal. 

One of the coolest parts of the tour was seeing this massive aircraft body in a giant warehouse. This is where crew get trained on Safety Emergency Procedures. Would you dare go down this one-storey slide? During training, there's smoke, crash sounds and emergency lights, to mimic crash scenarios. We didn't experience these, but it's impressive enough just seeing the training facility.

There were also mock-ups of different types of aircraft doors, and crew have to learn how to operate them. Some doors open up to scenes of 'disaster'. The training crew kindly showed us a door which opened into the vast ocean, then re-programmed it seconds later to show a burning inferno. Yikes. 

This is a pool with waves which mimics the ocean. Waves can be calibrated to be bigger or smaller. Crew have to be able to get through the water while wearing an inflated life vest and kebaya, pull themselves onto the life rafts, and evacuate and guide passengers onto the rafts, as well as detach the raft from the plane. Such a tough job! 

Another warehouse holds a few flight simulators that mimic real flight movements, turbulence and all, thanks to hydraulics. Again, it's extremely rare that the public gets to see this. 

Guided by real SQ pilots. How awesome!

The ticket includes a free meal for each participant in the staff canteen, with such delicacies as nasi lemak with chicken and beef ragout, in little square paper boxes that are part of the airline's latest sustainable practices. We added on some satay for $10, a donut for $2, and a can of beer for $2. Somehow, not eating on a tiny tray table with some turbulence in a pokey economy class cabin was just not as fun as the real deal.  

The little ones can sign up to dress up in a sarong kebaya (which they get to bring home) and receive training from real SQ cabin crew members to be an honorary Singapore Girl for a couple of hours. Note: When posing, hands have to be placed in front of you in a certain way. 

Parents have to help kids achieve the signature hair bun, by watching an instruction video. Due to safe distancing measures, crew can only assist. 

Parenting has its perks. I still had to open that potato chip bag, though. A very cute and once-in-a-lifetime experience for both kids and parents.

Photos: Alvin Teo/8days.sg