'I dread my flights': Some SIA, Scoot air crew feel toll of movement restrictions they face while overseas
Some air crew from Singapore Airlines and Scoot say that restrictions imposed on them while on layovers abroad are undermining their love of the travel involved in their job.
Some air crew members — including pilots and cabin crew from national carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its budget arm Scoot — are feeling the toll of movement restrictions imposed on them while they are overseas, even as borders are reopening and vaccinated travel lanes have been established.
Based on current rules set by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), all air crew can leave their hotel rooms and use the facilities at their accommodation only in Category 1 destinations — Hong Kong, Macau, mainland China and Taiwan. But the authorities in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Shanghai, China, do not allow SIA crew to leave the hotel, TODAY understands.
At all other destinations, they must remain in their rooms at all times and may gather in rooms with other crew members only in groups of five.
Responding to TODAY's queries, CAAS, SIA and Scoot said that the rules are designed to protect air crew from Covid-19. The rules have been relaxed from the original restrictions and they are working to find ways to relax them further.
Still, several of the air crew said that they are considering leaving the jobs they had once loved because of the toll that complying with Covid-19 rules has taken on their mental health. They noted that they chose the career because of their love for travel, which for them, is still constrained.
