By Massita Ahmad
SINGAPORE, Oct 8 (NNN-Bernama) — Singapore and South Korea have agreed to jointly launch Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs), which will start from Nov 15, 2021, according to the Singapore Ministry of Transport.
The jointly launched VTLs will be the first of its kind between two major aviation hubs in Asia and build on these longstanding relations to safely revive cross-border air travel and people-to-people flows.
“I am pleased that both countries have agreed to jointly launch VTLs that will re-open general travel between our two countries, which has been disrupted for the past 20 months,” said the republic’s Minister for Transport S. Iswaran in a statement on Friday.
Iswaran said both Singapore and South Korea have made excellent progress in vaccinating their populations and the VTLs reflect the trust both countries have in each other’s ability to manage the COVID-19 situation.
“This is another milestone as we re-open Singapore’s borders, and resume air travel in a careful and calibrated manner,” Iswaran said.
Before COVID-19, the statement said both republics were among each other’s top travel destinations, with a total of 64 weekly passenger services connecting the two countries and carrying 1.6 million passengers annually.
Under the VTLs, fully vaccinated travellers will be able to travel between Changi Airport and Incheon International Airport, and be subjected to COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests, in lieu of serving quarantine or Stay-Home Notice, it said.
There will be no restrictions on the purpose of travel or requirements for a controlled itinerary or sponsorship, said the ministry.
To support the VTLs, the ministry said both parties have also reached an agreement on the mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates.
This will allow fully vaccinated travellers with proof of vaccination issued on either side to enjoy vaccination-differentiated safe management measures in both countries, it said.
Under the VTLs, the ministry said travellers must meet the eligibility criteria and adhere to the prevailing border control measures and public health requirements for travel into the respective countries.
More details of the VTLs will be announced in due course, it added.
— NNN-BERNAMA