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While Australia’s first quarantine-free travel bubble looks like being shared with New Zealand, Singapore is another strong contender, with the Singaporean government, Changi Airport and Scoot airline supporting the concept.

Scoot, the low-cost arm of the Singapore Airlines group, is trialling digital initiatives to speed Covid-19 tests and verification at check-in and ease safe travel in the era of the pandemic.

1. These are they:

  • Customers departing from Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia are able to utilise a one-stop portal for all their Covid-19 pre-departure testing needs – from appointment booking, payments, and receiving test results within 36 hours.
  • In conjunction, a new digital verification process at check-in (on trial for selected flights from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia) will allow check-in agents to use a secure app to quickly and reliably determine the authenticity of Covid-19 test results bearing a verifiable QR code.

2. Facilitating business exchanges with Connect@Singapore. The Singapore Government has introduced a new travel lane to support Singapore’s efforts to resume international business meetings safely. Business, official and high economic value travellers from all countries may enter Singapore for short-term ‘test-stay-work-meet’ experience, and conduct meetings with locals and other traveller groups within a safe and contained “bubble” without mandatory quarantine. The pilot Connect@Changi is one such facility appointed. More information here.

3. Scoot again extending one-time free date change for all new bookings. Scoot has extended its policy of free one-time date change for new bookings for another three months, to allow more travellers to plan their trips with confidence. This now covers bookings made from 10 March 2020 up to 30 June 2021 (both dates inclusive) via Scoot’s website, mobile app or WeChat mini booking site. The one-time free date change can be utilised up to four hours before scheduled flight departure. More information here and the latest flight schedule here.

4. Celebrating International Women’s Day with an all-female crewed flight. To celebrate the achievements of women, Scoot assembled an all-female crewed flight TR426/7 (pictured) – which flew from Singapore to Penang on International Women’s Day (8 March). Scoot champions a diverse and inclusive workplace, where more than half of overall employee population comprises of females, and over 40% of the managerial workforce are women leading teams across key functions.

5. Update to Scoot, Singapore Airlines and SilkAir customers transiting through Singapore Changi Airport. Travellers can transit through approved points to destinations in the SIA Group Network currently operated by SIA, SilkAir and Scoot. Not only can travellers transit through Singapore if they’re departing from a city approved for transit flights, they can also transit through Singapore if they are connecting to a city approved for transit flights, before transiting through Singapore to their final destination. More information here.

For Australians, the main impediment to travel to Singapore, or to anywhere, continues to be the Australian government’s ban on any Australian resident or citizen leaving Australia, plus quarantine requirements.

Edited by Peter Needham