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Scoot says ‘no data breach’ after customers not on Guangzhou-bound flight mistakenly get emails about Covid-19 testing

SINGAPORE — Singapore budget airline Scoot issued a media statement to say that it has mistakenly emailed customers regarding requirements to undertake a Covid-19 test for a flight bound for Guangzhou, China. These included customers who have made no such bookings for the flight.

A screenshot of the email that budget airline Scoot sent to its customers on Aug 25, 2020.

A screenshot of the email that budget airline Scoot sent to its customers on Aug 25, 2020.

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SINGAPORE — Singapore budget airline Scoot issued a media statement to say that it has mistakenly emailed customers regarding requirements to undertake a Covid-19 test for a flight bound for Guangzhou, China. These included customers who have made no such bookings for the flight.

A spokesperson for Scoot, which is a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said on Tuesday (Aug 25) that there was no data breach or leak of personal information despite the error.

The carrier said that the emails were meant for passengers of flight TR100, which departs for the Chinese port city from Singapore this coming Sunday morning.

They were to inform the passengers of a health safety requirement due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, but the spokesperson said that the emails were also “mistakenly sent to other customers who were not on the flight”.

On Tuesday afternoon, several copies of the same email were received by this reporter and many others — with a handful of customers saying they received close to 40.

In the email, passengers of the flight are told that they are required by the Chinese authorities to undertake a nucleic acid test within five days before the flight to certify that they test negative for the coronavirus.

Testing arrangements have been arranged for the passengers on Wednesday at the Regional Screening Centre located at the former Shuqun Secondary School along Jurong East Street 21, and have to be “strictly adhered to”, Scoot said in the email.

Each test will cost S$186. 

Scoot said that it is investigating the matter and will provide an update on the findings when possible. 

“Scoot sincerely apologises for this oversight and our highest priority is establishing what transpired and rectifying the errors,” the spokesperson said.

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