After Singapore announced the freezing of new ticket sales for flights under quarantine-free travel programme amid Omicron concerns, the country’s flag carrier on Wednesday said that it will stop accepting new bookings for all Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights into Singapore scheduled between December 22 and January 20, 2022.
In a statement, Singapore Airlines said: “With effect from 2359hrs (SGT) on 22 December 2021, Singapore Airlines will stop accepting new bookings for all Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights into Singapore that are scheduled between 23 December 2021 and 20 January 2022 (both dates inclusive).
This follows the Singapore government’s directive to suspend new ticket sales on designated VTL flights for entry into Singapore during this time.” The airline clarified that the customers with a confirmed booking on a VTL flight are not affected by this directive, and may proceed with their travel.
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Under the vaccinated travel lane programme, Singapore allows quarantine-free entry from some countries to fully vaccinated travellers, who also have to do regular testing Travellers entering Singapore under the VTL scheme do not have to serve a stay-home notice. Instead, they have to test negative for COVID-19 two days prior to departure for Singapore, as well as upon arrival.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced the VTL expansion on November 15.
Singapore has set up these lanes for about two dozen countries, including Australia, India, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Reacting to the new rules, Indian carriers said that they will have to amend their schedule in order to comply with the guidelines.
“To comply with the guidelines we will have to make changes to our schedule,” they stated.
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