Update: Singapore Airlines has now re-loaded VTL flights on the Perth – Singapore route from 5th February 2022 again, following “the latest guidance from the authorities”.
Last month Singapore Airlines reacted swiftly to the announcement of Western Australia’s international border reopening from 5th February 2022, by bringing forward its Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights on the Perth – Singapore route to coincide with the same date.
The plan saw 17 weekly Perth – Singapore flights become quarantine-free options, with no SHN period for travellers on arrival in the Lion City.
VTL flights postponed
While Western Australia has already locked in 5th February 2022 for its “safe transition plan”, including international border easing with no quarantine required for fully vaccinated travellers from overseas, Singapore Airlines has pushed the launch of its VTL flights from Perth back to their originally planned date of 1st March 2022.
The airline cited “regulatory requirements” as the reason for the change.
“Due to regulatory requirements, SIA will be postponing the start date for VTL flights from Perth to Singapore to 1 March 2022. All VTL flights from Perth that are scheduled between 5 February 2022 to 28 February 2022 will be converted to non-VTL flights.”
Singapore Airlines
Passengers flying from Perth to Singapore on SIA during February will now be subject to prevailing health control measures, including a seven-day Stay Home Notice. Non-residents of Singapore will not be able to travel on these flights, with the exception of those transiting at Changi, who are unaffected.
If you are affected and you booked directly with SIA, you can use the Assistance Request Form to make changes to your bookings, or obtain a refund. If you booked through a travel agency or partner airline, you should contact them directly for assistance.
SIA Perth VTL schedule
Singapore Airlines has been operating 14 weekly Perth – Singapore passenger flights for some time, with daily SQ214 and SQ224 services, and will still press ahead with plans to increase this schedule to 17 per week from February with the addition of three SQ216 flights, but all now will operate as non-VTL services until 1st March.
1st March 2022 – 26th March 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
SQ216 787-10 VTL |
||||||||
| PER 01:10 |
SIN 06:20 |
||||||||
|
SQ224 787-10 VTL |
||||||||
| PER 06:40 |
SIN 11:55 |
||||||||
|
SQ214 787-10 VTL |
||||||||
| PER 16:45 |
SIN 22:00 |
||||||||
Singapore Airlines will increase VTL flights to three times daily (21 weekly) on the Perth – Singapore route from 27th March 2022 to late October 2022, the end of the confirmed schedule.
27th March 2022 – 29th October 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
SQ216 787-10 VTL |
||||||||
| PER 01:10 |
SIN 06:35 |
||||||||
|
SQ224 787-10 VTL |
||||||||
| PER 06:25 |
SIN 11:45 |
||||||||
|
SQ214 A350 Regional VTL |
||||||||
| PER 17:10 |
SIN 22:35 |
||||||||
Scoot will now launch Perth VTL flights
The delay for SIA’s VTL flights on the Perth – Singapore route means that low-cost carrier Scoot will now launch quarantine-free VTL flights on the route, with original plans for five times weekly service from 5th February 2022 beefed up to daily operation.
5th February 2022 – 26th March 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
TR9 787-9 VTL |
||||||||
| PER 17:15 |
SIN 22:20 |
||||||||
|
TR17 787-9 VTL |
||||||||
| PER 21:30 |
SIN 02:35* |
||||||||
* Next day
Scoot will use two class Boeing 787-9 aircraft on the route, with an Economy and ScootPlus cabin.
Scoot increases to 10 times weekly VTL operation on the route during the northern summer season from late March to late October. All flights will operate as designated VTL services.
27th March 2022 – 29th October 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
|
TR9 787-9 VTL |
||||||||
| PER 18:00 |
SIN 23:30 |
||||||||
|
TR17 787-9 VTL |
||||||||
| PER 21:50 |
SIN 03:10* |
||||||||
* Next day
KrisFlyer Elite and PPS Club members will now earn 1.25 miles for every S$1 spent on Scoot fares, with all KrisFlyer members picking up 2.5 Elite miles per S$1 spent on top of the KrisFlyer miles themselves when flying with the low-cost carrier, as part of recently announced scheme enhancements.
Other VTL flights
Singapore Airlines recently started VTL flights from Adelaide and Brisbane to Singapore, with South Australia already open to international arrivals quarantine-free and Queensland expected to follow next week.
The airline also operates VTL flights from Sydney and Melbourne, alongside Qantas, while Jetstar operates VTL flights from Melbourne and Darwin.
For a full list of all VTL flights to Singapore by route, see our dedicated and updated reference page.
Singapore – Perth flights are unaffected
Those travelling from Singapore to Perth from 5th February 2022 will still be eligible for quarantine-free entry to Western Australia, via so-called ‘FEPO flights’ on Singapore Airlines, or non-stop flights on Scoot or Jetstar (from 12th February), provided entry requirements are met.
Requirements when flying to Perth
Fully vaccinated travellers flying from overseas (including Singapore) to Western Australia from 5th February 2022 must have:
- A negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of their flight departure time, unless they are under five years of age.
- An on-arrival PCR test within 48 hours of touching down in Perth. Those younger than five years of age are again exempted.
- An additional PCR test on Day 6, if still in Western Australia.
The testing regime may be amended based on the state’s ongoing review process.
These are interim testing arrangements and are based on the current health advice. They will be subject to ongoing review, including one after four weeks from the transition date.
Government of Western Australia
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers will still need to quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Western Australia, however children under the age of 12 are exempt from this requirement.
Here’s our latest rundown of the cheapest locations to get a pre-departure PCR test suitable for travel in Singapore, starting at S$98.
There are even competitive options for those preferring to be tested at home, now starting at S$128.
For those phobic of the nasal swab process, there are also saliva-based PCR tests available from S$115, valid for travel to Australia.
Redemption rates
These are the one-way KrisFlyer miles redemption rates for flights between Singapore and Perth on SIA.
| KrisFlyer Redemption Rates Perth to/from Singapore |
||
| Saver (one way) |
Advantage (one way) |
|
| Economy | 20,000 |
37,000 |
| Business | 36,500 |
65,000 |
The 36,500 miles rate for a saver award in Business Class is quite competitive for a 5-hour flight with a flat-bed product (you’ll fork out more than that to fly the shorter route to or from the Maldives in a 737-800 with recliner Business Class seats!).
Other airlines
In November, Singapore’s Jetstar Asia was already predicting the border relaxation in Western Australia, loading four times weekly Singapore – Perth – Singapore flights from 12th February 2022, as shown below.
From 12th February 2022
| Days | |||||||||
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S | |||
 |
3K131 A320 |
||||||||
| SIN 16:05 |
PER 21:30 |
||||||||
|
3K132 A320 |
||||||||
| PER 22:30 |
SIN 03:50* |
||||||||
* Next day
Jetstar Asia last served the Singapore – Perth route in March 2018, around two years prior to the pandemic.
Jetstar says the VTL status of flight 3K132 from Perth to Singapore is pending approval, with all four weekly flights in the PER-SIN direction expected to join the scheme, though you may wish to hold off booking until that is confirmed.
Jetstar’s parent company Qantas is restarting daily Airbus A330 Perth – Singapore services on 27th March 2022.
Remember that all flights from Singapore to Perth require no VTL status, so you can go ahead and book in that direction now if you wish, even for dates in February.
Summary
It’s disappointing to see SIA’s VTL flights from Perth to Singapore postponed by around a month, with the airline citing “regulatory requirements” as the reason behind the decision.
Those affected will be eligible to change their plans or apply for a refund.
VTL designation on flights to Singapore require no approvals from the Australian side, so it sounds like this restriction is coming from the airline’s home government, perhaps related to the daily VTL traveller caps, which were recently cut by 50% for arrivals on or after 21st January 2022.
In the meantime, Scoot will operate daily VTL flights on this route from 5th February 2022.
While SIA’s Perth VTL flights have been postponed, the airline has now started Adelaide – Singapore and Brisbane – Singapore VTL services, in addition to its quarantine-free Sydney and Melbourne links.
(Cover Photo: Skycolors / Shutterstock)
But reading the Australian website, the border is only going to be open for Citizens/student visa holders/ employment visa holders – not for tourism anyway….
https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/singapore
It’s open for tourism to select states
You haven’t covered the proof of vaccination requirements in Western Australia. Currently you need to show proof of vaccination to enter almost every business. However you need to upload your vaccination status onto the Australian Immunisation Register, which only Australian citizens, PR and long term visa holders can access.
What’s the normal Singaporean going to do because business does not have to accept foreign certificates and don’t expect them to, how do they know what a Singapore cert looks like.