Singapore’s Changi Airport will gradually start allowing transit passengers to pass through from 2 June.
This does not mean the floodgates will be allowed to open as resumption of transit travel will be increased in a progressive fashion as each flight is assessed on a case by case basis.
Changi is one of the world’s busiest airports, handling over 68 million passengers last year. The airport typically handles over 1,000 flight movements daily, all international flights.
The flights don’t just bring passengers into Singapore. The airport is a key transit hub for the region. But on 23 March, the Singaporean government banned short-term visitors from both entering and transiting through Singapore.
In April, Changi Airport handled just 25,200 passenger movements and 3,870 aircraft movements. In contrast, in January, the airport hosted 5.95 million passenger movements and 33,400 aircraft movements.
The reopening is part of Singapore’s strategy to gradually re-open air transport while ensuring sufficient safeguards for safe travel.
Airlines should submit their proposals for transfer lanes through Changi Airport to the CAAS. These will be evaluated taking into account aviation safety, public health considerations, as well as the health of passengers and air crew.
The decision will allow passengers to transit through Singapore given the current circumstances that foreign passengers may only transit if they are on repatriation flights arranged by their governments.
As a precaution, stringent measures will be instituted to ensure that the transit passengers remain in designated facilities in the transit area and do not mix with other passengers while at Changi Airport.
Further, airport staff will be required to wear personal protective equipment when interacting with passengers. Existing precautionary measures, such as safe distancing, temperature taking for passengers and staff, will continue to be enforced.
