Three Singapore airlines including Singapore Airlines, Scoot and Jetstar Asia, will require at least their frontline staff to be vaccinated by the end of this year, reports the Straits Times. SIA front-line staff based in Singapore, including pilots and cabin crew, will need to be fully vaccinated by 1 September, Singapore Airlines stated. Meanwhile, Scoot's front-line staff based in Singapore will need to be fully vaccinated by 1 December. Singapore Airlines Group, which includes Scoot, said these requirements are in line with the advisory from Singapore's tripartite partners, which states that employers may make vaccination a requirement for staff in higher-risk settings. The group said about 99% of its active pilots and cabin crew have been vaccinated. All Singapore front-line ground staff have also been vaccinated, it added. The other local carrier, Jetstar Asia, said it will require all employees, including staff based in offices, to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by 1 October.

The Ministry of Manpower, National Trades Union Congress and Singapore National Employers Federation said employers should not make Covid-19 vaccination mandatory, but making vaccination a requirement for those in higher-risk settings may be part of company policy.

The news follows the announcement yesterday that Australian airline Quantas will require that all staff are vaccinated.