After an almost two-year hiatus, Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) and its low-cost subsidiary carrier Scoot are set to implement a vaccinated travel lane scheme (VTL), under which both companies plan to resume air connectivity between Singapore and India.
Starting November 29, 2021, SIA, Singapore’s flag carrier, will renew daily flights to the country from a number of Indian cities, including Chennai (MAA), Delhi (DEL), and Mumbai (BOM). These flights will be operated under the VTL scheme, which gives fully vaccinated passengers the green light for quarantine-free travel to Singapore.
The airline will also start operating non-VTL flights from Ahmedabad (AMD), Bengaluru (BLR), Hyderabad (HYD), Kochi (COK), and Kolkata (CCU).
“These arrangements will allow families and loved ones to finally reunite, as well as support the demand for business travel between the two countries,” SIA’s spokesperson told media on November 24, 2021.
Like its parent company Scoot will offer direct non-VTL flights connecting Singapore and Hyderabad (HYD) from November 30, 2021. These flights will be operated four times a week alongside passenger services to and from Tiruchirappalli (TRZ), which, from December 2, 2021, will operate three times per week.
The recent news follows the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) agreement with the Ministry of Civil Aviation of India to resume scheduled commercial passenger flights between two countries.
According to the CAAS statement dated November 21, 2021, the two countries agreed quarantine-free travel for a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) for vaccinated citizens of Singapore as well as permanent residents.
The authority said that non-Singapore citizens or non-permanent residents willing to travel under the VTL scheme would need to apply for a vaccinate travel pass between seven to 60 calendar days before the intended date of entry into Singapore.
CAAS also stated that “[…] travelers travelling on non-VTL flights into Singapore will be subject to the prevailing public health requirements based on the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH)’s Country/Region Classification for Border Measures.”