Singapore and Hong Kong will launch an air travel bubble to allow transit between the two Asian hubs in a bid to revive air travel in a safe and progressive way.
The inaugural travel bubble flights between Singapore and Hong Kong will launch on 22 November 2020, following the conclusion of negotiations earlier this week.
Travellers from Singapore to Hong Kong will be subject to COVID-19 tests, while those travelling from Hong Kong to Singapore will be required to have a pre-departure test.
There will initially be only one flight a day into each city with a capacity of 200 passengers per flight, with Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific operating alternate flights between the two cities.
This will be increased to two flights a day into each city with a capacity of 200 travellers per flight from 7 December 2020. If the COVID-19 situation deteriorates in either city, the travel bubble arrangements will be suspended.
Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Transport, Singapore, said: “The Singapore-Hong Kong Air Travel Bubble enables us to achieve two objectives at the same time – open up our borders in a controlled manner, while maintaining safety in our societies. While we may be starting small, this is an important step forward. I have no doubt both Singapore and Hong Kong will co-operate fully to make this scheme work. It will be a useful reference for other countries and regions that have controlled the epidemic, and are contemplating opening their borders.”
