Hong Kong and Singapore will launch an air travel bubble beginning on May 26th. Visitors will not have to go through quarantine, as long as they fulfil the conditions of travelling within the air travel bubble.
Hong Kong and Singapore had previously announced the launch of an air travel bubble in November last year, but this was postponed due to a surge in COVID-19 infections.
Under the new plan, Hong Kong travellers must be fully vaccinated two weeks prior to their date of departure for Singapore; however, this requirement will not be necessary for those going from Singapore to Hong Kong.
Singapore’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) said that the travel bubble will have a cautious start. There will be one flight a day in each direction, capped at 200 passengers on each flight for the first two weeks. The numbers will be reviewed thereafter.
“I am happy that Hong Kong got the COVID-19 situation under control. It has been a long few months, but the conditions are now ripe again to re-launch the ATB (air travel bubble). Both sides will need to stay very vigilant in the next one month, so that we can launch the first flights smoothly.”
Singapore Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung
“Relaunching the Air Travel Bubble with Singapore is the first step in Hong Kong’s resumption of international travel, and a milestone for preparing the city for gradually welcoming more visitors back. We expect that travellers at the early stage of the launch of the ATB are those who travel for family visits or other essential reasons, and leisure travellers will return successively.”
Dr YK Pang, Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB)
Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced its flight schedule from 26th May to 7th June 2021 as below:
Route | Month | Date | Departure | Arrival | Flight Number | Aircraft |
Singapore – Hong Kong | May | 26, 28, 30, 31 | 08:40 | 12:40 | SQ882 | Airbus A350-900 |
Singapore – Hong Kong | June | 2, 4, 7 | 08:40 | 12:40 | SQ882 | Boeing 777-300ER |
Hong Kong – Singapore | May | 28, 30, 31 | 14:25 | 18:20 | SQ883 | Airbus A350-900 |
Hong Kong – Singapore | June | 2, 4, 7 | 14:25 | 18:20 | SQ883 | Boeing 777-300ER |
From 9th June 2021, Singapore Airlines will operate daily ATB flights. The schedule is below:
Route | Frequency | Departure | Arrival | Flight Number | Aircraft |
Singapore – Hong Kong | Daily | 08:40 | 12:40 | SQ882 | Boeing 777-300ER |
Hong Kong – Singapore | Daily | 14:25 | 18:20 | SQ883 | Boeing 777-300ER |
Cathay Pacific’s Air Travel Bubble flights will operate as CX759 and CX734 using Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The schedule is below:
Route | Departure | Arrival | Flight Number | Aircraft |
Hong Kong – Singapore | 09:10 | 13:05 | CX759 | A350-900 |
Singapore – Hong Kong | 14:45 | 19:00 | CX734 | A350-900 |
*All times are local
Travellers on both sides are required to take a virus test 72 hours before their departure, they are also required to be screened again when they arrive at the airport. Designated lanes will be set up at the Hong Kong airport for the post-arrival tests.
Hong Kong travellers to Singapore must fill in and submit an arrival card and book a post-arrival virus test three days before arriving. After taking the test at the airport, travellers will have to go to their declared place of accommodation by private transport, taxi or hired car; they will then need to stay there until they receive a negative test result. Singapore permanent residents may quarantine in their own homes, according to media reports.
Singapore travellers, meanwhile, will have to fill in an online health declaration form 48 hours before arrival in Hong Kong, travellers will only be allowed to leave the airport and begin their itineraries after getting a negative test result. Travellers will also have to download the government’s LeaveHomeSafe mobile app; the QR codes displayed at the premises must be scanned during their stay, while they must also retain records for 31 days subsequent to departure from the city.