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SIA Group travellers can transit via Singapore from Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia

A man walks along the transit area at Changi International Airport terminal in Singapore on June 8, 2020, as Singapore prepares to reopen its borders after shutting them to curb the spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. (Photo by Roslan RAHMAN / AFP) (Photo by ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The transit area at Changi International Airport. (PHOTO: Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images)

SINGAPORE — Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have joined Vietnam and Cambodia as the first batch of Southeast Asia countries whose travellers will now able to transit through Singapore.

The three countries were added to the list of countries approved for the Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group on Tuesday (18 August). Transit flights from Vietnam and Cambodia were approved on 11 August.

SIA, SilkAir and Scoot customers can transit through Singapore Changi Airport from cities in these five countries to any destination in the SIA Group network operated by the three airlines.

The Southeast Asian cities approved for SIA Group transit flights through Singapore are:

  • Indonesia: Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya

  • Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Kuching, Penang

  • Thailand: Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi)

  • Vietnam: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City

  • Cambodia: Phnom Penh (from 1 September)

Transit flights being approved since restrictions eased in June

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has been approving transit flights since border restrictions were eased on 2 June. Transit flights to Singapore had stopped in late March after Singapore announced a ban on short-term visitors to reduce the risk of importing COVID-19 cases.

The SIA Group had earlier received approval for transit flights from countries such as Australia, China, France and Britain.

Eligible customers may book a return flight only if both the point of origin and the final destination are in the list of cities approved for transit through Singapore.

In line with regulatory requirements, transit and non-transit passengers will be kept apart at Changi Airport. Transit customers will be issued with a wristband, which indicates their access to the designated transit holding area.

If the transit time is less than 75 minutes, customers will be ushered directly to their boarding gate.

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