As Singapore starts to gradually open up, some business has since resumed operations, albeit with additional safeguards in place.
On Sunday (7 Jun), Singapore Airlines (SIA) unveiled a suite of measures it will be implementing both on and off flights. This came just days after Singapore and China announced a “fast lane” for business and essential travel.
The suspension of hot towels, inflight shopping, as well as meal services are some of the new measures that will be implemented from Monday (8 Jun).
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Even before arriving at the airport, passengers are advised to submit a health declaration. The form, available on the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s (ICA) website, can be completed 3 days prior to the flight.
Travellers can also check-in online via SIA’s SingaporeAir app to help hasten the process at the airport.
While most of SIA’s SilverKris Lounges remain closed at the time of writing, there will be additional safeguards in place to protect visitors when they eventually open.
These include replacing buffet services with à la carte meals and increasing the frequency of cleaning procedures.
Staff working at the lounges will also be required to don masks at all times and have their temperatures taken twice a day.
Passengers can also expect similar measures onboard SIA flights
For starters, cabin crew members will be required to put on masks throughout the flight. They will also have to wear goggles or eye visors when serving passengers.
The hot towels that most of us have grown accustomed to during flights will also be unavailable.
Anti-bacterial wipes, however, will be issued when requested. This is in addition to the wipes, mask, and hand sanitiser in the SIA care kit that passengers will receive before boarding the flight.
Meal services on flights within Southeast Asia and to China will be replaced with snack bags. Even though meal services will continue on the other flights, they will also be “simplified”, according to SIA.
Additionally, inflight shopping, as well as the distribution of children’s amenities, baby kit bags, and arrival cards, will be temporarily suspended.
SIA will start implementing these safeguards from Monday (8 Jun). For the full list of measures, check out SIA’s slide deck here.
With the Covid-19 outbreak still ongoing, air travel will likely be different, at least for the foreseeable future.
Though some of the changes will surely take some getting used to and might even compromise on comfort, we hope passengers will understand that it’s ultimately done for their own safety.
Let’s hope that as the Covid-19 situation improves worldwide, the services that we’re used to in the past will resume normalcy again.
Featured image adapted from Singapore Airlines.
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