Singapore pauses new ticket sales until 20th January 2022

[Flyerpassion]

ugh…

SINGAPORE, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Singapore will freeze the sale of tickets for arriving flights and buses under its quarantine-free travel programme for four weeks from Thursday, the government said, citing the risk from the fast-spreading Omicron COVID-19 variant.

Under the vaccinated travel lane (VTL) programme, Singapore allows quarantine-free entry for fully vaccinated travellers arriving from certain countries on designated flights or buses. The travellers have to undergo regular testing.

About two dozen countries are listed in the programme including Australia, India, Malaysia, Britain and the United States.

But no new tickets would be issued for people hoping to arrive from any of those countries from Thursday to Jan. 20, the government said on Wednesday

 

[dajop]

Just a note. This is effective from 00:00 Thu 23 Dec SGT. Still a few hours of VTL sales left for that period.

 

[jakeseven7]

So what happens to those already booked…

 

[Princess Fiona]

So what happens to those already booked…

The phone info says they are unaffected. I know this because I’m on hold trying to change flights from FRA-SIN-SYD to LHR-SIN-SYD as we are no longer allowed to enter Germany from the UK.
Joys of pandemic travel

 

[kpro]

So what happens to those already booked…

You're fine.

Airlines, travel agencies say customers with confirmed bookings not affected by freeze in new VTL ticket sales

SINGAPORE: Travellers with a confirmed booking on a vaccinated travel lane (VTL) flight will not be affected after Singapore authorities announced a freeze in new VTL ticket sales from Thu

www.channelnewsasia.com

 

[jonboixxx]

SQ236 is VTL (fine) and then SIN-FCO is now via CPH ffs I wonder why that would be? Adds 2 hours to arrival time in Rome.

 

[Flyerpassion]

Anyone already is fine. its New bookings only

 

[aus_flyer]

Problematic if you want to change an existing booking

 

[ANstar]

And this is why people have low confidence in travelling at the moment. The one country that seems to have their head screwed on is Fiji. Sensible testing requirements encouraging visitors unlike their asian counterparts ie Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore.

 

[jakeseven7]

So my flights look ok but worried what the *next* step will be.

Seriously…

 

[Melburnian1]

Will this lead, in time, to airlines such as QFi, SQ and TR cancelling flights?

 

[dajop]

Will this lead, in time, to airlines such as QFi, SQ and TR cancelling flights?

Not sure about QF, but I very much doubt it changes anything for SQ or TR - remember they are bringing traffic to Australia too, they already have VTL bookings for those dates, they can still carry transit pax, they have freight and they were running all of the currently scheduled services throughout most of the last six months (TR) or longer (SQ) - although some not taking pax, only freight (for for example to MEL one of the two daily SQ services was only carrying freight).

For QF - who knows.

 

[ausnew]

Anyone who already had a ticket for return to Singapore tried to change the date of return

Is it possible?

 

[jrfsp]

Anyone have any insights whether ticket sales will resume on Jan 20 or will be kicked down the road?

 

[AviationNZ]

Anyone have any insights whether ticket sales will resume on Jan 20 or will be kicked down the road?

From what I understand, wasn't the pause for travel up to Jan 20, not the actual sales date? You could always continue to book travel post Jan 20, and that's still the case now (subject to VTL flights being available).

 

[dajop]

Anyone have any insights whether ticket sales will resume on Jan 20 or will be kicked down the road?

Tickets are on sale already, in fact never stopped, for travel from Jan 24 onwards. It was only that sales were stopped for new bookings arriving in Singapore between certain dates.

 

[jrfsp]

From what I understand, wasn't the pause for travel up to Jan 20, not the actual sales date? You could always continue to book travel post Jan 20, and that's still the case now (subject to VTL flights being available).

Ah yes thats correct, the quota post Jan 20 has been halved, but i doubt that is much of an issue ex AU.

 

[astrosly]

I'm still wondering why a covid-related response by an Asian government is specifically a Qantas Frequent Flyer thread? Doesn't this impact other airlines and programmes?

 

[auriga]

Looks like Singapore is relaxing their restrictions

Fully vax recently recovered exempt from testing! I wonder if the exemption applies to the SQ flight as well?

VTL testing regime to be simplified; travellers required to self-test only if they need to leave home: MOH

The Health Ministry also added that fully vaccinated travellers who have recently recovered from COVID-19 will be exempted from all testing and stay-home notice requirements.

www.channelnewsasia.com