Singapore Airlines said the travel bubble was “an important milestone” in recovery from the pandemic. Photo: iStock
A quarantine-free air travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore is finally set to begin with a May 26 launch date after setbacks caused the plan to be suspended last November.
Largely isolated from the rest of the world during the pandemic, both sides have been holding talks for months to revive the travel corridor. In statements and briefings on Monday, they set out details and requirements for potential travelers. Hong Kong said people must have received two doses of vaccine at least 14 days before the flight. There is no such requirement from Singapore.
Cathay Pacific Airlines and Singapore Airlines will operate the flights. The first Cathay trip is scheduled to start on May 26th at 9:10 a.m. in Hong Kong. Singapore Air departs at 8:40 a.m. that day. They will start daily flights in the bladder starting June 9th or 10th. The agreement limits each flight to 200 travelers.
People wearing face masks in Hong Kong. Photo: AP
The travel bubble could increase traffic by up to 3 percent for both airlines, according to Bloomberg Intelligence transportation analyst James Teo, who described it as a “small but significant step forward”.
Preparations for the travel corridor between the two major financial centers have stuttered since it was shut down in November after coronavirus cases were picked up in Hong Kong. A recently released plan to announce its revival was canceled by Singapore last week, people familiar with the matter at the time said.
“It has been a few months, but the conditions are now ripe again,” Singapore’s Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said in a statement. “Both sides must remain very vigilant for the next month so that we can start the first flights smoothly.”
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Despite occasional relapses, including in a dormitory for migrant workers in Singapore last week, the number of cases of Covid-19 is low in both cities and life is returning to normal. Hong Kong may reopen bars later this week and extend restaurant hours, including to facilitate social distancing. Bringing eruptions under control was key to opening the travel bubble.
Hong Kong Trade and Economic Development Minister Edward Yau said compulsory vaccination, which does not apply to children under the age of 16, should encourage people to sign up for vaccinations. According to Bloomberg’s Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker, only about 11 percent of the Hong Kong population have received at least one dose of vaccine – less than half the rate in Singapore.
Travelers must take Covid-19 tests and must not have visited any locations other than Hong Kong or Singapore in the two weeks prior to departure. Hong Kong travelers must use the Singapore TraceTogether mobile app, while Singapore travelers need the Hong Kong LeaveHomeSafe app. Records are kept after the trip.
Singapore Airlines described the travel bubble as “an important milestone” in recovery from the pandemic, while Cathay also welcomed the deal, saying it could be a showcase for opening similar lanes to other popular destinations.
Singapore Airlines’ economy class return flight prices on May 26 rose from $ 618 to around $ 730 ($ 968) after the announcement. Return economy tickets for Cathay were listed on the airline’s website for $ 902, down from $ 490 the previous day.
Hong Kong and Singapore have strict travel restrictions. The former was essentially banned for non-residents, and even they are required to stay in designated quarantine facilities for extended periods of time upon arrival, meaning many people have not traveled at all since the pandemic began more than a year ago. This is reflected in Cathay’s figures: the airline flew an average of only 598 passengers per day in March.
In Singapore, restrictions on travelers from Hong Kong were relaxed last week, who can now stay in isolation at a government-selected hotel for seven days instead of two weeks. As part of its efforts to open its borders, Singapore established an area near Changi Airport that can accommodate business travelers without being quarantined unless they leave the facility.
The plan comes because other parts of the world are taking steps to reopen themselves to travel. The European Union will recommend easing restrictions to allow fully vaccinated US tourists this summer, the New York Times reported. Greece is starting to let US travelers in earlier if they have been vaccinated or have a negative Covid-19 test. The US government has since announced that it will not issue so-called vaccination certificates for data protection reasons.
Singapore has also proposed a travel bubble with Taiwan, the Taipei-based Central News Agency reported Monday, citing Ong.
Different pandemic-related rules around the world have in some ways determined which vaccines people take. In Hong Kong there are two options, one from Sinovac Biotech of China and one from Pfizer and BioNTech. China has only recognized recordings made in China so far, which means people who like to travel to the mainland are more likely to sign up for Sinovac. Because the vaccines aren’t legal in the U.S. or Western Europe, those with family or business ties are more likely to take the other shot.
As of Sunday in Hong Kong, approximately 688,100 Sinovac vaccine doses had been administered, and the total for Pfizer-BioNTech was 587,100.
The Washington Post
April 27, 2021
