Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) to Singapore.
Jan 31, 2022, 12:27 am
#376
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Singapore
Programs: BAEC GFL (Only took 30 years)
Posts: 499
Since VTL was initially announced, BA immediately operated its sole flight BA11 as exclusively VTL. So it's quite safe to assume that when BA11 is dropped and replaced with BA15, the latter will continue to operate as exclusively VTL.
In contrast, SQ had some VTL and some non VTL flights because it operated multiple flights from LHR. Also its MAN flight became exclusively VTL starting mid Jan 2022.
In contrast, SQ had some VTL and some non VTL flights because it operated multiple flights from LHR. Also its MAN flight became exclusively VTL starting mid Jan 2022.
Jan 31, 2022, 1:20 am
#377
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: BA Gold, HHonors Diamond, IHG Platinum, Senior Railcard & Bus Pass
Posts: 983
I am not sure that is correct.
Going though the emails from my travel team:
From 19 October, only one of the three London SQ departures was a VTL, the morning flight which was a 380. The daily SQ MAN also was a non-VTL. Whether that is still the case, I don't know.
Going though the emails from my travel team:
- 9 October- Singapore announces VTL will start from 19 October and will include UK using BA flights and SQ flights.
- 13 October - BA announce from 19 October BA11 will be exclusively VTL, (this was the only BA flight operating to Singapore). BA advise non-VTL entitled pax to re-book if flying 19 October onward. (In their announcement they publish a flight schedule through to 26 March showing BA operating exclusively VTL flights).
- 19 October - BA commence VTL flights.
From 19 October, only one of the three London SQ departures was a VTL, the morning flight which was a 380. The daily SQ MAN also was a non-VTL. Whether that is still the case, I don't know.
Yesterday I finally got some answers from the BA twitter team - I need to re-book my cancelled February flight, so was asking whether BA15 in May will become VTL. This is what they said.
We don't have any further information at this time. As soon as we do, we will update the guidelines for BA15. So can I suggest you keep checking our web site for up to date flight information.
Then when I asked if there was a definitive BA web page that I could check for BA’s list of designated VTL flights (the only reference I can find for BA11 being VTL is when searching the FAQs - answer id 8757)We don't have a definitive list I'm afraid. We've only been given authorisation for our BA0011 to operate as a VTL flight by the Singapore Government.
I then asked about my options if I change my cancelled BA11 to BA15 in May, without knowing whether BA15 will become a VTL flight.It's impossible to speculate what might happen in the next few months but I would suspect that if BA15 was not one of those VTL flights then BA would have to cancel it. Like we have been doing already. If you book for May, you still have the option to claim a voucher. If the flight is cancelled for May then you can just have a full refund too.
I’m guessing that as we get closer to March 26th there will be an announcement about BA’s VTL flights going forward.
Last edited by WickedStepMother; Jan 31, 2022 at 1:45 am Reason: Spacing
Jan 31, 2022, 1:36 am
#378
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: UK
Programs: BA Nada, HH Diamond, IHG Spire AMB, Marriott Plat, Accor Gold
Posts: 510
Since VTL was initially announced, BA immediately operated its sole flight BA11 as exclusively VTL. So it's quite safe to assume that when BA11 is dropped and replaced with BA15, the latter will continue to operate as exclusively VTL.
In contrast, SQ had some VTL and some non VTL flights because it operated multiple flights from LHR. Also its MAN flight became exclusively VTL starting mid Jan 2022.
In contrast, SQ had some VTL and some non VTL flights because it operated multiple flights from LHR. Also its MAN flight became exclusively VTL starting mid Jan 2022.
Jan 31, 2022, 2:01 am
#379
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 6,576
Possibly. It would be the airline's call whether or not to operate flights as VTL based on, amongst other factors, passenger volumes and revenue assessment. For example, TK54 is a daily flight from IST to SIN, but only the Sunday flights is VTL as they presumably have significant non vaccinated passenger traffic that they don't want to turn away.
Jan 31, 2022, 5:36 am
#380
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,575
I've thought about this a bit more and there could be a situation where BA doesn't operate BA15 as a VTL. The flight is continuing to Sydney and if Singapore authorities want everyone onboard the plane, even those in transit, to meet their VTL criteria (the most tricky being travel history) then this could be a challenge.
Not impossible, these are the rules currently for SQ - you can transit onboard a VTL flight as long as you meet the initial boarding criteria for the VTL flight to SIN. BA would just have to communicate and manage this with Sydney passengers.
Not impossible, these are the rules currently for SQ - you can transit onboard a VTL flight as long as you meet the initial boarding criteria for the VTL flight to SIN. BA would just have to communicate and manage this with Sydney passengers.
Jan 31, 2022, 3:32 pm
#381
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 6,576
Jan 31, 2022, 3:53 pm
#382
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,575
I suspect based on April loads suddenly being much higher that the bulk of the traffic is for Sydney. So if it means sacrificing Singapore traffic to be allowed to transit the through passengers it could happen . I think more than likely they'll figure it out but it was just a thought !
Feb 1, 2022, 12:28 am
#383
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,280
I suspect based on April loads suddenly being much higher that the bulk of the traffic is for Sydney. So if it means sacrificing Singapore traffic to be allowed to transit the through passengers it could happen . I think more than likely they'll figure it out but it was just a thought !
Feb 1, 2022, 12:55 am
#384
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Singapore
Programs: BAEC GFL (Only took 30 years)
Posts: 499
Apologies, not fully following. Are you saying that if BA15 is a VTL flight, I have to have the VTL required travel history to enter Singapore, but if the guy in the seat next to me is going to carry on to Sydney on BA15, as long as he is vaccinated, his travel history doesn't matter?
Feb 1, 2022, 12:59 am
#385
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Singapore
Programs: BAEC GFL (Only took 30 years)
Posts: 499
I didn’t make myself very clear I’m sorry. By ‘non -VTL flights’ I didn’t mean that some of the BA11 flights were not VTL, but that there were other flights to Singapore (BA15) at the time that weren’t part of the scheme. When I made my booking back at the start of November I feel sure that BA11 wasn’t the only flight coming up in the flight selection.
Yes, if you had booked in November for late March onward you would have had the option of BA11 and BA15 for Singapore. And yes, no announcement has ever been made about BA15.
Feb 1, 2022, 3:19 am
#386
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: West Lothian
Programs: BA Exec Club Silver, IHG Platinum Elite, Qatar Privilege Club
Posts: 507
As I mentioned up thread, I have been moved from a long-standing booking on BA11 changed to the BA15 last week but BA has not told me. In fact, on the app I have bookings on the 11 and the 15!
Feb 1, 2022, 3:33 am
#387
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,280
Apologies, not fully following. Are you saying that if BA15 is a VTL flight, I have to have the VTL required travel history to enter Singapore, but if the guy in the seat next to me is going to carry on to Sydney on BA15, as long as he is vaccinated, his travel history doesn't matter?
Feb 1, 2022, 5:44 am
#388
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 6,576
Feb 1, 2022, 4:02 pm
#389
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Singapore
Programs: BAEC GFL (Only took 30 years)
Posts: 499