SIA, Scoot aircrew need not wear masks from June 1; some staff raise concerns

Pilots and cabin crew on Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scoot flights will no longer be required to wear masks from June 1, but some flight attendants expressed concern. An internal memo sent out by the two airlines stated that for SIA Group to maintain a “unified and consistent approach”, flight attendants “should not wear masks” while in uniform. However, if a flight is heading to or departing from a destination where masks are mandatory, flight attendants must wear masks in accordance with local government regulations. Screenshots of the memo were sent to Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao on Thursday. A Scoot crew member, who did not want to be named, told the newspaper in an e-mail interview that a colleague had asked the company about the memo and came to the conclusion that from June, it is “mandatory” for SIA and Scoot crew members to remove their masks when in uniform. The crew member added that when another colleague asked the company whether cabin crew are allowed to wear masks when cleaning the toilets, its answer was that “one should not wear mask when in uniform”. An SIA crew member, who also did not want to be named, said he is not worried and has no objection to the new rule. But some of his colleagues have expressed concern and hope they can wear a mask if they choose to, he said. Some crew members who spoke to The Straits Times under condition of anonymity also have health and safety concerns and prefer to remain masked while on board. “There will always be passengers who travel very frequently to countries that may not be as effective as Singapore in handling Covid-19, hence there is still a higher-than-average chance that we may catch Covid-19 and pass it on to someone with lower immunity,” said an SIA flight attendant in her mid-40s.<br/>