Scoot passengers required to wear masks under new regulations, cabin baggage limit to be lowered to 3kg
SINGAPORE — Scoot airline said today (11 May) that its passengers would now have to wear face masks during flights, according to new regulations by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).
The directives by CAAS took effect from 11.59pm yesterday (Singapore time). The new rules apply to all Singapore carriers and are precautionary measures in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
Passengers will have to wear masks during flights at all times to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections.
Scoot is currently operating three-times weekly passenger flights to Perth and Hong Kong after a 98% decrease in passenger capacity.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) and SilkAir also announced yesterday that they would comply with the new directives by CAAS. The three airlines based in Singapore – SIA, SilkAir and Scoot – all belong to the SIA group of companies.
All passengers are required to submit a health declaration form prior to check-in. They can complete the form at Scoot check-in counters at the airport or access the online form via an SMS notification to be received 24 hours prior to their flight.
Temperature screening will be conducted at check-in and any passengers found to be having higher than normal temperatures will not be allowed to board.
All Scoot flights currently operate with limited in-flight service and, where possible, passengers are seated to ensure safe distancing.
Scoot operating crew will also undergo pre-flight temperature taking and must wear Personal Protection Equipment while on duty.
Scoot will be lowering its cabin baggage limit to reduce baggage on board and facilitate security clearance and boarding. With effect from 1 June, passengers will be allowed to bring only up to 3kg of cabin baggage on board planes. Cabin baggage above the 3kg limit will be checked-in at no additional cost.
The cabin baggage limit on Scoot flights previously was 10kg for Economy and 15kg for ScootPlus seats.
Global air travel has decreased drastically since the coronavirus outbreak, but some airlines are still operating as people fly back to their home countries. Flight crews face risks of exposure to the virus as they interact with travellers from a range of locations on board aircraft.
Yahoo Lifestyle SEA previously reported that the SIA group had 18 cases of COVID-19 infections among its employees, of which 12 cases had recovered from the illness. These cases did not include staff from Scoot, Yahoo Lifestyle SEA understands.
A Scoot spokesperson told Yahoo Lifestyle SEA that there was one case of infection among its staff. “One of our cabin crew tested positive for COVID-19 in March 2020. Scoot has been providing all necessary support to the individual concerned, who is recovering well and in good spirits.”
Airlines such as AirAsia and Philippines Airlines have rolled out special uniforms for its cabin crews that integrate personal protective equipment.
Related stories:
