Singapore Airlines to operate VTL flights to more cities under the quarantine-free travel scheme

SINGAPORE - Travellers will have more options for quarantine-free travel from next year with Singapore Airlines (SIA) opening up additional vaccinated travel lane (VTL) flights from Jan 17.

The national carrier on Friday (Nov 19) said it will be operating such flights from Amsterdam, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London, Milan, Munich, New York, Paris, Rome, Seattle and Vancouver.

From Jan 19, it will operate such flights from Houston and Manchester as well. SIA had earlier announced that VTL flights from Kuala Lumpur will start from Nov 29.

By Dec 6, Singapore will have arrangements for VTLs with a total of 21 nations.

Transport Minister S. Iswaran had announced on Monday that travellers from Indonesia, and possibly India, will also be able to enter the country under the quarantine-free travel scheme from Nov 29.

In addition, travellers from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will be able to enter Singapore from Dec 6, in a further expansion of the VTL scheme.

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VTL flights from Sweden and Finland will start on Nov 29.

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.

Since Nov 11, travellers can submit a negative test result from either a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab test or a professionally administered antigen rapid test.

Upon arrival, they will be required to take a PCR test, and can go about their activities if they test negative.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.