Jetstar Asia Adds More Quarantine-Free Routes

Credit: Rob Finlayson

Jetstar Asia is resuming more regional routes after receiving approval to offer flights from four Southeast Asian destinations to its Singapore Changi (SIN) base.

The airline has been cleared to operate vaccinated travel lane (VTL) flights from Da Nang (DAD), Denpasar (DPS), Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) and Penang (PEN), expanding its VTL network to 13 destinations.

The LCC welcomed decisions by governments in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesian island Bali to allow quarantine-free entry for vaccinated travelers, paving the way for the resumptions.

“With the gradual and safe easing of quarantine requirements, combined with replacing PCR tests with the less-costly ART [antigen rapid test], we are slowly removing the barriers to international travel, which in turn is helping restore consumer confidence,” Jetstar Asia CEO Bara Pasupathi said.

Flights to Singapore from Denpasar and Ho Chi Minh City will restart on March 27, operating up to 3X-weekly and up to 5X-weekly respectively.

Service from Penang begins two days later and will be up to 3X-weekly. The route from Routes Asia 2022 host Da Nang will return on April 10, with Jetstar Asia flying up to twice a week.

“We know our customers have missed traveling to their favourite destinations over the last two years, not only for leisure and business, but importantly to reconnect with family and friends,” Pasupathi said.

“We’re confident the safe relaxation of border measures, combined with our low fares, will ensure international travel will once again be back on our customers’ radars.”

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, which pioneered VTLs, said earlier this month that more than 450,000 travelers have entered Singapore via the VTL flights since the scheme opened last September and about 350,000 vaccinated travel passes have been issued to non-citizens to travel via the lanes.

David Casey

David Casey is Editor in Chief of Routes, the global route development community's trusted source for news and information.