Singapore Airlines opens Changi Airport transit for Australia, NZ

Singapore Airlines is now able to fly passengers from Australia and New Zealand through Singapore’s Changi Airport and onto the rest of its regional and international network. Although the transit process will be a very different one to that which travellers remember, and for which the airport itself is famed.

Foremost among the restrictions: these transfers are, for now, only on a one- way basis from Australia and New Zealand.

Transits are not allowed in the other direction, such as arriving into Changi on a Singapore Airlines flight from London and jumping onto a connecting flight to Sydney.

“It is important to remember that Government travel restrictions in Australia and New Zealand as well as in many other countries remain in place, and opening of limited one-way transit is not a sign that international travel is back to normal,” cautions Philip Goh, Singapore Airlines Regional Vice-President for South West Pacific.

“The one-way transit channel will allow those who wish to return home from Australia or New Zealand to do so, in a COVID-safe manner, both on board our aircraft and while in transit at Changi Airport.”

All the same, Goh welcomed the opening of even a one-way transit channel as “a small but welcome step in our journey towards recovery” and a time when international travel can resume without restrictions, although he adds “we are still some time away from even considering being able to book an overseas holiday.” Although these Changi transits are permitted from 11 June 2020, they’re currently restricted to passengers making the whole of their journey on Singapore Airlines or its siblings SilkAir and Scoot. You can’t fly with Singapore Airlines to Changi and then change onto a flight operated by an airline outside of the SIA family.