Singapore Airlines will resume flights from Kolkata along with several other cities in India from November 29, the airline announced on Tuesday. The flights will be operating for the first time since March 2020.
However, Kolkata has not been included in the Singapore government’s vaccinated travel lane, which means those travelling from the city would have to follow health control measures of Singapore that includes a 7-day quarantine upon arrival.
“Singapore Airlines will launch daily Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) services from Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai on November 29, subject to regulatory approvals, providing eligible customers with quarantine-free entry into Singapore,” said the spokesperson of the airline.
“In addition, Singapore Airlines will progressively operate non-VTL services from Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Kochi from November 29. Customers on these flights must meet entry requirements into Singapore and will face prevailing health control measures, including seven days of quarantine in Singapore.”
The airline is offering a 50 per cent discount on certain segments of tickets.
According to a Singapore Airlines statement, passengers travelling from Kolkata will have to quarantine for seven days at the traveller’s declared place of accommodation, including hotel, home or guest house.
Travellers with 14-day travel history to countries included in the Category (II) list of the Singapore government may commute using their own private transport, taxis or private hired cars. The use of public transport, e.g. trains or buses, is prohibited.
Travellers will have to do a Covid RT-PCR test before the end of the quarantine.
Travellers must be fully vaccinated against Covid with any vaccine in the WHO Emergency Use List. Both Covaxin and Covishield are accepted.
The final dose must be completed at least 14 days prior to arrival in Singapore.
Children aged 12 and below are exempted from these vaccination requirements. However, they must be accompanied by a fully vaccinated traveller on the VTL flight.
Airline officials said those who wish to travel through vaccine travel routes will have to apply for the vaccine travel pass between seven and 60 days prior to travel before applying for a visa.
All passengers will have to undergo RT-PCR tests two days prior to travel and also upon arrival at Changi airport in Singapore, said officials.
Tour operators said it would have been better if Kolkata was included in the VTL list.
“Singapore is an expensive destination and very few people would be interested in spending a week there in quarantine,” said Anil Punjabi, chairman, east, Travel Agents Federation of India.
