Last week Singapore announced that it was freezing new bookings on Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights from 23rd December 2021, for flights operating between that day and 20th January 2022, due to the global spread of the Omicron variant.
Travellers who already have bookings on these flights are fully protected and will be able to fly under the existing VTL arrangements, but anyone now making a new booking is currently restricted to non-VTL flights, or VTL services bound for Singapore operating on or after 21st January 2022.
Malaysia soon followed suit, imposing the same booking restriction for those seeking VTL flights from Changi to Kuala Lumpur over the period.
Issued Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) applications and new VTP applications (3-60 days prior to entry) for those who require one are not affected by the restriction.
South Korea halts new VTL bookings
Apart from Malaysia, South Korea is the only other bilateral arrangement among Singapore’s 24 VTL countries, and while there is no specific list of designated flights to travel from Singapore to Seoul for the VTL, authorities allow you to do so when taking any non-stop SIN-ICN service for quarantine-free entry.
Yesterday South Korea announced that it would no longer allow those making new bookings on these non-stop SIN-ICN “pseudo-VTL” flights to utilise the quarantine-free programme for arrivals between 29th December 2021 and 20th January 2022.
“To mitigate the risk of omicron variant, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has announced that travellers who will purchase air tickets for entry into Korea from Singapore between 29 December 2021, 0000hrs and 20 January 2022, 2359hrs (Korean Standard Time) would not be eligible to make use of VTL arrangement and be exempted from quarantine.”
Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of Singapore
Importantly, the VTL itself has not been suspended.
Those who have already booked their flights from Singapore to Seoul up to and including 28th December 2021, for travel on any date, will still be able to use the VTL quarantine-free arrival process.
“Travellers who already hold valid tickets and meet all other conditions for travel via VTL will not be affected and may continue to enter Korea via VTL.”
Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of Singapore
This effectively matches the Singapore restriction on new VTL ticket sales, however flights from Changi to Seoul weren’t initially included (23-28 Dec) and could still previously be booked as a VTL option.
For example, it means if you were planning a VTL trip from Singapore to South Korea on 15th January 2022 to return on a designated VTL flight on 22nd January 2022, this will no longer be possible if you haven’t booked already.
While you will still be able to travel to Seoul in that example, you will face 10 days quarantine upon arrival in South Korea, which it goes without saying is enough to put almost anyone off!
Those making new plans to travel to South Korea on the VTL will therefore have to schedule their outbound trip from Singapore to take place on or after 21st January 2021, not just the return portion.
Here’s how Singapore Airlines describes the new restriction.
The South Korean authorities have also announced that those with confirmed bookings purchased on or before 28 December 2021, 2300hrs SGT may enter South Korea quarantine free if they meet all the VTL requirements.
Following which, customers with new bookings for flights arriving into South Korea between 28 December 2021, 2301hrs (SGT) and 20 January 2022, 2300hrs (SGT), will have to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in South Korea. Customers who wish to make a new flight booking to South Korea during this period may only do so by contacting their local Singapore Airlines office.
Singapore Airlines
Singapore ⇄ Seoul “VTL” flights
Here’s a full list of Singapore – Seoul non-stop “pseudo-VTL” flights, and designated VTL flights from Seoul to Singapore, which you’ll need to have already secured to have a quarantine-free arrival in both directions during the 29th December 2021 to 20th January 2022 window.
Singapore Seoul Flights
(non-stop “pseudo-VTL”)
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
TR840 787-8 |
||||||||
| SIN 01:25 |
ICN 08:50 |
||||||||
 |
SQ608 787-10 |
||||||||
| SIN 01:25 |
ICN 08:50 |
||||||||
 |
KE646 777-300ER |
||||||||
| SIN 01:30 |
ICN 08:50 |
||||||||
|
SQ600 787-10 |
||||||||
| SIN 08:05 |
ICN 15:30 |
||||||||
 |
OZ752 A330-300 |
||||||||
| SIN 23:30 |
ICN 06:50* |
||||||||
Seoul Singapore Flights
(Designated VTL shown)
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
TR841 787-8 |
||||||||
| ICN 10:30 |
SIN 16:15 |
||||||||
|
SQ607 787-10 |
||||||||
| ICN 10:50 |
SIN 16:15 |
||||||||
|
OZ751 A330-300 |
||||||||
| ICN 16:20 |
SIN 21:55 |
||||||||
|
SQ601 787-10 |
||||||||
| ICN 16:35 |
SIN 22:20 |
||||||||
|
KE645 777-300ER |
||||||||
| ICN 18:35 |
SIN 00:10* |
||||||||
* Next day