What does air travel bubble mean?

"Air tourism bubble" refers to the establishment of a certain working mechanism between the governments and relevant institutions of two destinations, mutual recognition of Covid-19 test results, and allowing passengers who test negative to take special flights to travel between the two destinations without quarantine restrictions.

According to the principle agreement reached between Hong Kong and Singapore, "air travel bubble" passengers will travel between the two places on specific flights, which will only carry "air travel bubble" passengers and will not carry any connecting passengers or non-air travel bubble passengers.

For the "air travel bubble" passengers traveling between Hong Kong and Singapore, there will be no restrictions on the purpose of their travel between the two places, but they must accept the Covid-19 test recognized by both places and get negative results; "Air travel bubble" passengers do not need to accept compulsory quarantine or fulfill the obligation of home notification after arrival, and their itinerary is not restricted.

the government of the hong kong special administrative region says that the "air tourism bubble" will be a milestone for the two international aviation hubs, hong kong and Singapore, to safely and gradually restart cross-border air exchanges. Both sides can adjust the scale of "air tourism bubble" at any time, and the number of specific flights can be increased, decreased or even suspended to match the latest development of the epidemic situation in the two places.

Extended information:

Notes for passengers

Passengers with "air travel bubble" must undergo a mutually recognized Covid-19 test within 72 hours before departure, and get negative results, and have never been to a country or region outside Singapore or Hong Kong within 14 days before departure. Upon arrival, the "bubble" passengers have to undergo virus detection through the airport dedicated channel, and they must wait at the designated location in the airport restricted area until they are informed that their test results are negative before leaving the airport and starting their journey.

"bubble" passengers must take exclusive flights to reduce risks. The number of exclusive flights will be gradually increased, with one flight per day for the first 15 days, and then increased to two flights per day according to the implementation situation, and each flight can carry up to 2 "bubble" passengers.

In addition, the "air travel bubble" has an adjustment mechanism. If the recent 7-day moving average of unrelated local confirmed cases in Singapore or Hong Kong exceeds 5 cases per day, the "bubble" arrangement will be suspended for two weeks. Then, if the above figures in the two places drop to no more than five on the last day of the two-week suspension of the "bubble" arrangement, the "bubble" arrangement can be restarted.

Reference:

Xinhuanet-Hong Kong and Singapore will launch "air travel bubble" to restart cross-border air exchanges

Xinhuanet-Hong Kong and Singapore "air travel bubble" exclusive flights.