SINGAPORE: An air travel bubble (ATB) between Singapore and Hong Kong, initially scheduled to launch on Sunday (Nov 22), has been deferred for two weeks after a spike in COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong, Singapore's Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Saturday.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Mr Ong said: "Given the evolving situation in Hong Kong, Secretary Edward Yau and I discussed further this afternoon, and decided that it would be better to defer the launch of the ATB, by two weeks. We will review within two weeks on the new launch date and update again.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"I can fully understand the disappointment and frustration of travellers who have planned their trips. But we think it is better to defer from a public health standpoint. The airlines will be contacting the travellers individually.
"This is a sober reminder that the COVID-19 virus is still with us, and even as we fight to regain our normal lives, the journey will be full of ups and downs. But we will press on and look forward to when we can safely launch the ATB."
On Saturday, Hong Kong reported 43 new coronavirus cases, of which 36 were locally transmitted.
This is a developing story. Please refresh for updates.
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