First SIA flights with crew fully vaccinated against Covid-19 depart Singapore

The first Singapore Airlines flight staffed by pilots and cabin crew vaccinated against the coronavirus left Changi Airport on Thursday, marking a significant milestone for the carrier. Flight SQ956 took off for Jakarta at 9.30am carrying a crew of 12, and is the first of three departing SIA Group flights with crew who have received both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Scoot flight TR606 to Bangkok also left Changi at 9.30am with a set of 11 vaccinated crew members, while SilkAir's first vaccinated flight MI608 will leave for Phnom Penh at 4.30pm with a crew of eight. The crew members are among more than 52,000 personnel in the transport sector who have received their first dose of the vaccine as at Feb 10. The Ministry of Transport said more than 39,000 workers in the aviation and maritime sectors have gotten their first jab - over 90% of the 43,000 front-liners in both sectors. SIA Group said it is among the first airlines in the world to operate flights with fully vaccinated crews. SIA CE Goh Choon Phong said: "Vaccinations will be key to the reopening of borders and to enhancing travel confidence, in tandem with robust testing regimes and the wide-ranging safe management measures that are in place on the ground and in the air." He added: "They offer greater protection for our people and provide an added layer of assurance to our customers."<br/>