News
S’porean man, 28, spends S$15,000 to surprise parents & grandma with SIA business class tickets
They initially thought they would be flying economy.
March 12, 2026, 02:41 PM
A 28-year-old Singaporean man spent around S$15,000 on business class tickets on Singapore Airlines to surprise his parents and grandmother on a family trip to New Zealand — after letting them believe they would be flying economy.
The surprise, documented in an Instagram video by Clarence Lum, has since drawn widespread attention online, with many viewers saying they were moved by his gesture towards his family.
The surprise
In the video, Lum handed his parents their passports and boarding passes before asking them to take a closer look at the tickets.
His mother initially appeared confused, then realised they were seated in business class.
“Serious?” she exclaimed, before breaking into a delighted smile and later doing a small celebratory dance when Lum asked if she was happy.
His father, meanwhile, reacted in a more understated but equally relatable way, simply saying: “Shit, surprised ah.”
Parents are not the spending kind
Speaking to Mothership, Lum said he decided to pay for the tickets because his parents have never been the sort to spend money on themselves.
“My parents aren’t the kind to spend anything on themselves, so I really wanted them to enjoy something I know they wouldn’t do for themselves,” he said.
He added that he had planned the surprise around three months before the trip.
Lum said each business class ticket costs around S$5,000, bringing the total for his parents and grandmother to about S$15,000, while he used air miles for his own seat.
Although the family appeared visibly excited during the reveal, he said his parents remained characteristically practical throughout.
“They loved it and enjoyed the food,” he added.
“They were also really shocked that you could lie down flat on a flight. But my parents are really practical people. They kept telling me that economy is perfectly fine.”
The video showed his parents and grandmother enjoying in-flight meals (especially the famous satay), smiling at the camera as they take in the experience of travelling in a premium cabin and, of course, marvelling at being able to lie flat.
Parents’ reactions meant more than the trip
For Lum, seeing his parents' reactions meant more to him than the trip itself.
“Being able to give them this experience felt really special,” he told Mothership.
“[The trip to New Zealand has] been really pleasant and I’m just really grateful that I’m able to spend time with them.”
The video ended with a text message from his father:
Netizen reaction
The clip also prompted a flood of emotional reactions online, with many viewers saying they hoped to one day do something similar for their own families.
Others leaned into humour, joking that the video had unexpectedly brought tears.
Top images via clarenceljy/Instagram
