Now Boarding: Destination Tiny Worlds
On August 30, Mini Parlour Airways officially took flight for our Destination: Tiny Worlds Rolife meetup, sponsored by Robotime. It was SUCH a fun afternoon from beginning to end.
The event was TRAVEL themed and held inside an actual airplane hangar at our local airport, so naturally, we decided we had to lean ALL THE WAY in when it came to details.
Passengers began arriving for check-in around 12:50 p.m. At check-in, they met with their Stewardess for the flight (me) Sarah and got to meet their Pilot as well.
Everyone received their nametag and a tiny paper suitcase. Inside each suitcase was their mystery travel destination, but passengers were under strict instructions not to peek until they had been cleared by our pilot.
Once checked in, passengers made their way to their seats, where their passports and passenger materials were waiting for them. They were also provided a tool kit from Robotime with a few kit making essentials. The kit did not escape the creativity of our event and we turned them into emergency tool kits as they looked like life preserver packages 
Inside each passport was everything they needed to get started: a consent form to complete, an agenda outlining the day’s itinerary, and a boarding-pass-style coupon for 15% off the Robotime online store, complete with a QR code.
Before takeoff, passengers were also welcome to visit the Robotime Lounge, where refreshments were available while everyone mingled, found their seats and waited to discover where they would be travelling. (even the water bottles labels were re-done.
The hangar itself was transformed into our little aircraft for the afternoon. Tables were arranged in two rows with a centre aisle, mimicking airplane seating. The aisle also gave our stewardess, yours truly, plenty of room for in-flight refreshments, garbage collection and assisting passengers throughout the flight.
We also created a Robotime display featuring a selection of kits alongside several pre-built models, giving passengers a chance to see some of the other miniature worlds available beyond the kits they were building that day. It was a fun way for guests to browse different styles, see what the finished kits can look like in person, and, of course, start mentally choosing which one they might want to build next. There is something particularly dangerous about putting a miniature lover in front of an entire display of future projects. (dont mind the mess we are in a REAL airport hanger)
Our safety announcements began shortly after 1:10 p.m., slightly behind schedule, which really only added to the authenticity of the airline experience.
Before departure, Pilot Pam welcomed everyone aboard and delivered our safety announcement. Passengers were informed that we were expecting a smooth flight with minimal turbulence and would be travelling at a very comfortable cruising altitude of approximately three feet, so there was really no need for concern.
Unfortunately, our call buttons were out of order for the day, so passengers encountering any turbulence during their builds were instructed to simply raise their hands and a member of our highly trained flight crew would come to their assistance. 
Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for.
Pilot Pam officially cleared passengers to open their suitcases and discover their destinations.
There were six possible destinations, each paired with a different Robotime kit:
Florence, Italy: Miniature Gelato, 2 stars
Normandy, France: Red Boats, 2 stars
Kyoto, Japan: Sakura Journey, 2.5 stars- Paris, France: Eiffel Tower, 3 stars
Vienna, Austria: Vienna Bookstore, 3 stars
London, England: Blossom Book Booth, 4 stars
One of my favourite moments of the entire afternoon was watching everyone open their tiny suitcases and discover where they would be travelling. There were laughs, excited reactions and plenty of comparing destinations across the tables. Keeping the destinations a surprise until everyone was seated and ready for departure added such a fun sense of anticipation and really brought a little extra magic to the afternoon.
Because the destinations had been randomly assigned, passengers were given the opportunity to trade destinations with one another if another location appealed to them more or if they felt their assigned kit was outside their comfort level.
Once the trading was finished, everyone was settled and happy with their destination, and Mini Parlour Airways was officially cleared for takeoff. 
Soon the hangar was filled with tiny pieces, conversations and six completely different destinations slowly taking shape.
And of course, this was Mini Parlour Airways. We couldn’t expect our passengers to survive an entire flight without proper service.
In addition to the refreshments available in the Robotime Lounge before takeoff, we also had in-flight refreshment service, delivered directly down the aisle by their stewardess. The airplane-style table layout ended up being surprisingly practical because I could easily make my way through the cabin with food and drinks, collect garbage, deliver extra supplies and help anyone who needed assistance without disrupting their workspace.
We had builders with a wide range of experience levels, from people newer to miniatures to experienced builders, and it was wonderful watching everyone work at their own pace. People chatted across the tables, compared destinations, helped each other with tricky pieces and wandered around to see what was happening in the other tiny corners of the world.
And despite having only about three hours of dedicated building time, a few passengers actually managed to completely finish their kits before landing! Others carefully packed up their works-in-progress to continue their journeys at home.
What made the afternoon particularly fun was how many little pieces of the event connected back to the travel theme. From the nametags, mystery suitcases and passports, to the boarding passes, Robotime Lounge, airplane seating, Pilot Pam, stewardess service, emergency tool kits, cruising altitude and in-flight refreshments, we tried to make the experience feel like much more than simply sitting down and building a miniature kit.
A huge thank you to Robotime for sponsoring Destination: Tiny Worlds and providing everything that allowed us to create such a unique afternoon. This is rare in todays world and we should be SO GRATEFUL that they are so generous with events as well as prizes in this community!
Thank you to Pilot Pam for successfully navigating our international flight at the perilous altitude of three feet.
And most importantly, thank you to every passenger who checked in, grabbed a suitcase and boarded Mini Parlour Airways with us.
Flight successfully complete. Tiny worlds were created and memories were made.
