Singapore’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) said, 26 April, that the much-anticipated Air Travel Bubble (ATB) to allow quarantine-free travel between Singapore and Hong Kong can begin on 26 May. Originally planned for last November, the scheme was deferred due to the worsening Covid-19 situation in Hong Kong. Now the go-ahead has been given for the ATB arrangement from 26 May 2021 provided the Covid situation remains under control. There are strict rules for travelling via the ATB. Passengers will have to show a negative test for Covid before they can board flights in either direction and Hong Kong passport holders leaving the territory must be vaccinated. Initially there will be one flight a day in each direction, carrying a maximum of 200 passengers on each flight. Travellers must have stayed in either Singapore or Hong Kong in the 14 days prior to departure. Hong Kong’s LeaveHomeSafe app must be installed on mobile devices prior to travellers leaving Singapore for Hong Kong. Singapore’s minister for transport Mr Ong Ye Kung, said of the news: “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. Both sides will need to stay very vigilant in the next one month, so that we can launch the first flights smoothly. It is a significant ATB between two aviation and financial services hubs in Asia.”
