[ad_1]
SINGAPORE: The requirements for the air travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore are not designed to be “totally symmetrical,” said Singapore Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday (Nov 11), Ong said that both cities had agreed on the need for COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing prior to departure as a prerequisite for travel.
“But beyond that, we say that in each other’s territories, I think we should have the flexibility to impose additional conditions if we wanted, especially at the beginning,” he said.
Mr. Ong was explaining the differences in requirements between the two cities.
For example, travelers from Singapore to Hong Kong are required to take a PCR test upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport, in addition to the test that is performed prior to departure in Singapore.
But to travel in the opposite direction, from Hong Kong to Singapore, only a single PCR test is needed within 72 hours of departure.
Singapore also excludes children 12 and under from having to undergo the PCR test, while Hong Kong requires all travelers to be tested.
Other differences include the requirement that travelers from Hong Kong to Singapore apply for an air pass between seven and 30 days before their arrival in Singapore.
Those traveling from Hong Kong to Singapore should also download and use the TraceTogether mobile contact tracing app on their smartphones for the duration of their trip, and not delete it for 14 days after departure.
READ: Singapore and Hong Kong air travel bubble to start Nov 22 with 200 travelers per way per day
S-pass and work permit holders in the construction, marine shipyard and process sectors are also barred from traveling from Singapore to Hong Kong under the air transport bubble.
Mr. Ong explained that this was also at the request of the Hong Kong authorities due to the high number of COVID-19 cases in the dormitories of foreign workers in Singapore earlier this year.
His concern was understandable, he said, although he noted that those cases had dropped to a “very small trickle” in the past two months.
“I certainly hope that in the next review, we can be more inclusive and include everyone,” he said.
When asked if Singapore was seeking similar deals with other countries or territories, Ong said it was a chicken and egg situation.
READ: Singapore-Hong Kong Air Travel Bubble – What You Need to Know
READ: The air travel bubble in Singapore and Hong Kong is an ‘important step’ for the continued recovery of the airline industry
“I think many other territories and countries are also looking at this air travel bubble, I think they are really looking at it to see how Hong Kong and Singapore cooperate and what the results are. We are quite determined to work hard and make sure it succeeds, ”he said, adding that the bubble could be a benchmark for other deals.
Mr Ong said that if the Hong Kong-Singapore air travel bubble is successful, he hopes to be able to “trilateral” and “quadrlateralize” the agreement to add more members and create a more meaningful travel bubble.
For those who have already booked flights to Hong Kong, Director General of the Singapore Civil Aviation Authority Kevin Shum said they should contact the airlines to rebook their flights to one of those covered by the air travel bubble deals.
Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific are currently the only two airlines that have flights designated for air travel bubble passengers.
“I suspect that travelers can be quite careful in the beginning, before they gradually become more secure,” Ong said.
He added that while the fares were a business decision of the airlines, he expected the airlines to price the fares accordingly to allow air travel to gradually improve.
Describing the air travel bubble as the first step in rebuilding both cities’ aviation hubs, Ong acknowledged that concerns remain about Singapore’s reopening for travel given the current pandemic.
“That is why it is very important that we monitor the situation in various places, in all our partners all the time,” he said.
