Entry to Australia for those visa classes, however, is not signed off yet. “Details for this arrangement will be announced by Australia later,” the Civil Aviation Authority said.
While the Australian corridor is different to the other 12 Singapore has set up in that two-way travel is not available to anyone, Iswaran described it as “significant” because Australia had previously been open only to New Zealand.
Passengers heading to Singapore from Australia will have to book on designated vaccinated-only flights to avoid quarantining. They will have to undertake a PCR test upon arrival at Changi airport and then isolate at their accommodation until they receive a negative test, a process which takes a matter of hours. Children under 12 can travel without being vaccinated if they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated passenger.
Singapore has fully vaccinated more than 84 per cent of its 5.7 million population, mainly with Pfizer and Moderna. Its extension of international travel comes despite tight restrictions on gatherings remaining in place as its health system is put under strain with more than 3000 new cases per day.
Its vaccinated-only flights have brought in more than 5000 passengers since they began from Germany and Brunei in early September. Iswaran said five travellers on those flights had tested positive for COVID-19 after landing at Changi.
Singapore is home to more than 25,000 Australians while there are more than 50,000 Singaporeans living in Australia.
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Australia’s travel lane with Singapore to open on November 8
Source: Philippines Alive
