Wuhan virus: Passengers stranded here flown to Wuhan via Scoot

Passengers (left) waiting to check in at a designated but unmarked check-in counter at Changi Airport's Terminal 2, set up for people boarding a Scoot flight to Wuhan, on Jan 29, 2020. ST PHOTO: TOH TING WEI

A Scoot flight took off from Changi Airport last night with passengers who had been stranded in Singapore after the budget airline cancelled all flights to Wuhan in Hubei province on Jan 23.

A second Scoot flight is expected to leave tonight carrying another group of passengers bound for the Chinese city at the epicentre of the virus outbreak.

Last night, the passengers were taken to a designated but unmarked check-in counter at Terminal 2.

This reporter, standing several metres away, saw staff wearing surgical face masks - including three staff who also wore protective gear, with safety goggles and hair nets - serving them.

ST understands that after checking in, the passengers were taken straight to the gates to board the plane, a Boeing 787 aircraft.

Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced it will suspend layovers for its pilots and cabin crew on flights to Beijing and Shanghai, a move that requires them to head back to Singapore as soon as possible instead of staying overnight in the two cities.

The new measure is scheduled to start from 7.30am today.

SIA currently operates 21 flights weekly to Beijing and 28 per week to Shanghai. An SIA spokesman told ST yesterday that the move was "a precautionary measure for the safety of our crew".

China said yesterday that the death toll in the country had risen to 132, with 5,974 people infected.

In Singapore, 10 infected people have been confirmed.

SIA's announcement is the latest in a series of precautions airlines have taken.

Budget carrier Jetstar Asia said it will suspend its services to Hefei, Guiyang and Xuzhou until March 31. The last flights to the cities will be today. It will contact affected customers, who can cancel their bookings and get a full refund or a credit voucher.

British Airways, Lion Air and Air Seoul have suspended all flights to China. Other carriers such as United Airlines said they were cancelling some flights to China as demand plunges.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 30, 2020, with the headline Wuhan virus: Passengers stranded here flown to Wuhan via Scoot. Subscribe