SIA crew to don N95 masks on London flights

All Singapore Airlines (SIA) cabin crew members working on flights from London will now have to wear N95 masks and protective overalls amid growing concerns about the new strain of the Covid-19 virus in the city.

They will also have to take Covid-19 swab tests after their return. They will not be allowed to resume work on other flights until they get a negative result, in line with the usual practice when flying to areas with higher risks of Covid-19 infections.

SIA currently operates two direct flights daily from London's Heathrow Airport on most days. Each is about 13 hours long.

The additional requirements for protective equipment for flights from London kicked in on Wednesday, SIA said yesterday. Prior to this, cabin crew had already been wearing goggles, gloves and surgical masks for all flights.

Reports about a new strain of the coronavirus that is 70 per cent more infectious surfaced last week.

On Tuesday, Singapore joined more than 40 other countries in tightening restrictions on travellers arriving from Britain.

The Ministry of Health had said that all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with travel history to Britain within the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter or transit through Singapore.

SIA said yesterday that it already has a series of precautions to protect its crew.

For long-haul flights where the crew have to stay over in the destination country, SIA has been chartering a dedicated bus for the crew to be transported to and from hotels, which are located away from city centres.

"All crew are required to stay in their hotel rooms during the layover period, and they need to wear devices that track their location to ensure that they comply with this regulation," said SIA.

They must also take their temperature regularly and closely monitor their health throughout their duty period.