Australians stranded in UK cut off from home as Singapore shuts door
Australians stranded in the UK and Europe have had one of their last ways of getting back home cut off after the Singaporean government blocked travellers from Britain transiting through the country.
The decision made in response to the UK’s outbreak of a potentially more contagious strain of COVID-19 will come into affect tomorrow and means travellers cannot fly to Australia with Singapore Airlines, which is one of a small number of carriers still operating here.
“We are continuing to explore all avenues that will allow us to provide a COVID-safe travel option for customers wishing to depart the UK for Australia and New Zealand after the new border restrictions in Singapore come in to force,” a Singapore Airlines spokesman said.
Singapore Airlines has been operating around 30 flights per week into Australia, flying into all mainland capital cities and bringing stranded Australians home from around the world. However, they have been limited to around 30 passengers per flight due to Australia’s cap on international arrivals.
Passengers, other than Singapore citizens and permanent residents, who have been in the UK within the past 14 days will not be able to enter or transit through Singapore under the new restriction.
Emirates and Qatar Airways have continued to operate flights out of the UK and connecting to Australia through their hubs in the Middle East.
Singapore has also reimposed restrictions on anyone travelling from NSW to the city state in light of the Sydney outbreak after earlier unilaterally opening its border to Australia.
Singaporean citizens and permanent residents who have been in NSW in the past 14 days will need to isolate at home for seven days after arrival while non-citizens and non-permanent residents will not be able to enter the country. However those travellers are still able to transit through Singapore en route to other destinations.
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Source: Thanks smh.com