• Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-941 (2)
    Singapore Airlines
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    SQ/SIA
    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Singapore Changi Airport
    Year Founded:
    1972
    Alliance:
    Star Alliance
    CEO:
    Goh Choon Phong
    Country:
    Singapore
  • Jewel Changi Airport
    Singapore Changi Airport
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    SIN/WSSS
    Country:
    Singapore
    CEO:
    Lee Seow Hiang
    Passenger Count :
    3,053,000 (2021)
    Runways :
    02L/20R - 4,000m (13,123ft) | 02C/20C - 4,000m (13,123ft) | 02R/20L - 4,000m (13,123ft)
    Terminals:
    Terminal 1 | Terminal 2 | Terminal 3 | Terminal 4 | JetQuay CIP Terminal

Several months following the post-pandemic rebound for air travel and airlines' flight to recovery, most situations around the world seem back to pre-pandemic times without the need to wear masks, disregarding health declarations and scrapping the requirement for pre-departure or pre-arrival tests. Asia has been slower to follow suit, especially regarding the mask mandate. However, Singapore Airlines may be the first prominent Southeast Asian airline to scrap the mandate.

Masks are no longer mandatory

Like most Asian airlines, Singapore Airlines strictly enforced the mask mandate onboard all its flights, regardless of destination, to stick with government guidelines. Any passenger aged six and above was required to wear a mask during a flight and was only allowed to remove the mask during meal times. However, the Singapore Government recently announced that mask-wearing would no longer be mandatory unless on public transport and healthcare facilities.

The welcoming news means that passengers flying on Singapore Airlines will not be required to wear masks on their flights from August 29th onwards unless they are flying to and from destinations that still mandate it. Mask wearing has also become optional at Singapore's Changi International Airport, but passengers who still wish to wear a mask onboard or within the airport regardless of destination may continue to do so.

Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-941 9V-SGG Pace
With Singapore Airlines making masks optional depending on destinations, other airlines within the region might soon follow suit. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Easing confusion for passengers

For its flights SQ25 and SQ26, Singapore Airlines requires a mask onboard due to Germany's regulatory requirements. Due to Spain's regulatory requirements, masks are also necessary onboard flights SQ377 and SQ378 between Milan and Barcelona. While it can be confusing with the updated policy, Singapore Airlines has provided a list of routes flown from Changi Airport:

Regions

Destination

Is a mask required onboard when arriving at the destination?

Is a mask required onboard when departing from the destination?

Is a mask required at the destination airport?

Americas

Canada

Yes

Yes

Yes

US

No

No

No

Europe

Denmark

No

No

No

France

No

No

No

Germany

Yes

Yes

No

Italy

No

No

No

Russia

Yes

Yes

No

Spain

Yes

Yes

No

Switzerland

No

No

No

The Netherlands

No

No

No

Turkey

No

No

No

UK

No

No

No

North Asia

Hong Kong

Yes

Yes

Yes

Japan

No

No

Yes

Mainland China

Yes

Yes

Yes

South Korea

Yes

Yes

Yes

Taiwan

No

No

Yes

Southeast Asia

Brunei

Yes

Yes

Yes

Cambodia

Yes

Yes

Yes

Indonesia

Yes

Yes

Yes

Malaysia

Yes

Yes

Yes

Myanmar

Yes

Yes

Yes

Philippines

Yes

Yes

Yes

Thailand

No

No

No

Vietnam

Yes

Yes

Yes

West Asia & Africa

Bangladesh

Yes

Yes

Yes

India

Yes

Yes

Yes

Nepal

Yes

Yes

Yes

South Africa

No

No

No

Sri Lanka

No

No

No

The Maldives

No

No

No

UAE

Yes

Yes

Yes

Southwest Pacific

Australia

Yes

No

Yes

New Zealand

No

No

Yes

Scoot Boeing 787 coming in to land
Photo: Scoot

Scoot may follow suit

With Singapore Airlines setting the precedence of scrapping the mask mandate, its low-cost subsidiary Scoot might soon follow suit. The budget airline may presumably make masks optional for flights to Greece, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Thailand. Scoot might also follow in the primary carrier's example of allowing the wearing of face masks optional on flights to Australia but making it mandatory on flights back to Singapore.

Though regardless of any airline's mask policy, given how several countries still impose that mask-wearing be mandatory, it would still be best for passengers to pack a mask or two whenever and wherever they travel for the best avoidance of confusion.

Future Travel Experience Global will take place September 6 - 9 in Las Vegas - find out more about cutting-edge aviation technology on the website here.