Singapore-KL flight bookings up despite lack of details
Many Malaysians here still hoping that border curbs at land checkpoints will also be eased soon
Bookings for flights between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur have spiked in the past day, even though details such as the designated Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights are yet to be announced.
But many Malaysians in Singapore are still holding back in the hope that the eased border restrictions will be extended to land checkpoints soon.
The VTL, which will restart quarantine-free air travel between the two countries, was announced by Singapore and Malaysia on Monday afternoon.
There will be six designated VTL flights daily between Changi Airport and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. More details on the scheme will be announced soon.
Ms Andhini Putri, vice-president for marketing transport and financial services at travel booking platform Traveloka, told The Straits Times it received a double-digit percentage growth in bookings for flights between the two countries after Monday's announcement.
Expedia Group Brands' Asia head of communications Lavinia Rajaram said the platform had observed a 17-fold rise in terms of search volumes for flights between Singapore and KL. The search volumes for accommodation in KL also increased by 60 per cent.
Malaysians in Singapore said they welcomed the chance to return home, without having to serve lengthy quarantine periods, after almost two years.
Public relations specialist Rachel Quek, 26, a permanent resident who married her Singaporean husband in June, said: "We wanted to postpone our wedding banquet until the borders are open, so the VTL got us thinking about whether my family can come over to celebrate our wedding together with my husband's family."
She was also concerned prices for flight tickets would be expensive, and hoped the land checkpoints will reopen soon.
About half a million people from both countries made daily trips across the land borders between Singapore and Johor before the borders closed in March last year.
There was also a spike in interest for business travel.
Mr Bertrand Saillet, managing director of Asia at business travel specialist FCM Travel, told ST the company has been receiving inquiries since Monday. "The year-end holiday season will also be an opportunity for strong recovery as a significant number of business travellers will choose to extend their trips for that short year-end getaway, even if it's a nearby destination like Malaysia," he said.
"The desire to get out of Singapore for a break is very strong."
Mr Kurt Wee, president of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, said the VTL is welcome news for businesses, but said the most meaningful move would be for the scheme to be expanded soon to include those travelling via the Causeway and Second Link.
"For the business community, what is very important is the labour exchange and the intermediate and finished goods supply," he said, noting this affects industries such as services and construction.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING: RAM ANAND IN KUALA LUMPUR
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