Coronavirus Singapore

They took on new roles amid pandemic, but first love is flying

Scoot flight steward Jimmy Pung, 37, returned to flying in December after working for nine months as a community service executive. Jetstar Asia flight stewardess Raudhah Rihat (right), 41, hopes leisure travel will return soon. With her is flight st
Scoot flight steward Jimmy Pung, 37, returned to flying in December after working for nine months as a community service executive. Jetstar Asia flight stewardess Raudhah Rihat (right), 41, hopes leisure travel will return soon. With her is flight stewardess Roslinah Wilson, 48, who is working as a safe distancing ambassador while on furlough. Singapore Airlines pilot Eugene Tui, 41, and flight stewardess Chloe Phang, 24, took on temporary jobs, such as being a Covid-19 contact tracer and dental assistant respectively, when the pandemic grounded most flights, but jumped at the opportunity to return to flying. PHOTO: SCOOT ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Scoot flight steward Jimmy Pung, 37, returned to flying in December after working for nine months as a community service executive. Jetstar Asia flight stewardess Raudhah Rihat (right), 41, hopes leisure travel will return soon. With her is flight st
Scoot flight steward Jimmy Pung, 37, returned to flying in December after working for nine months as a community service executive. Jetstar Asia flight stewardess Raudhah Rihat (right), 41, hopes leisure travel will return soon. With her is flight stewardess Roslinah Wilson, 48, who is working as a safe distancing ambassador while on furlough. Singapore Airlines pilot Eugene Tui, 41, and flight stewardess Chloe Phang, 24, took on temporary jobs, such as being a Covid-19 contact tracer and dental assistant respectively, when the pandemic grounded most flights, but jumped at the opportunity to return to flying. PHOTO: SCOOT ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Scoot flight steward Jimmy Pung, 37, returned to flying in December after working for nine months as a community service executive. Jetstar Asia flight stewardess Raudhah Rihat (right), 41, hopes leisure travel will return soon. With her is flight st
Scoot flight steward Jimmy Pung, 37, returned to flying in December after working for nine months as a community service executive. Jetstar Asia flight stewardess Raudhah Rihat (right), 41, hopes leisure travel will return soon. With her is flight stewardess Roslinah Wilson, 48, who is working as a safe distancing ambassador while on furlough. Singapore Airlines pilot Eugene Tui, 41, and flight stewardess Chloe Phang, 24, took on temporary jobs, such as being a Covid-19 contact tracer and dental assistant respectively, when the pandemic grounded most flights, but jumped at the opportunity to return to flying. PHOTO: SCOOT ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

Singapore Airlines (SIA) pilot Eugene Tui and his family have had to make several sacrifices after his income plunged by over 50 per cent last year, when the Covid-19 pandemic led to the mass grounding of flights.

The 41-year-old's wife returned to work as a teacher. The couple also sold their family car to better support their three children.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 26, 2021, with the headline They took on new roles amid pandemic, but first love is flying. Subscribe