It looks like we will have to wait until next year to start travelling outside of the city again. The Hong Kong and Singapore government decided to defer the launch of the world’s first air travel bubble until 2021. This news comes a day after the announcement of tighter social distancing restrictions due to the uptick in coronavirus cases in the city as Hong Kong's COVID-19 cases now tallies to 6,314, including 109 deaths.
Following the deferral announcement last November 21, the two governments have been monitoring the situation in both places, and the upward rise in positive cases in Hong Kong and increasing trend of untraceable cases in the community influenced the decision to delay the travel arrangement.
The bilateral agreement's initial flight was scheduled to commence last November 22 but postponed a day before the launch. Pegged as the world's first two-way travel bubble, the agreement will allow a quarantine-free air route between Hong Kong and Singapore with no restrictions placed on the purpose of the trip providing travellers test negative for PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test 72 hours prior to departure in both regions.
Both cities will review the arrangement for 2021 towards late December, and the exact start date is to be announced pending further developments in the city. If you already booked for flights for December 2020 the government advised to contact the airline and adjust your travel itineraries accordingly.
For more information on the Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble visit this guide.
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