Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ wholly owned low-cost arm, has been awarded Diamond status in the APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying global audit of airlines. It is the first Low-cost carrier in the world to be accorded this highest attainable standard.
Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) and aviation strategy firm SimpliFlying jointly conducted the audit. The health safety measures adopted by Scoot in response to the Covid-19 pandemic were assessed against a 58-point checklist across 10 stages of the customer journey. This included check-in and other pre-departure processes, inflight measures and post flight.
Airlines that reach hospital-grade standards of health and safety, scoring at least 200 points above the baseline Gold standard are awarded the Diamond status. Scoot has also scored a full seven stars by Airline Ratings in both safety and Covid-19 compliance.
“Scoot is committed to providing customers with the highest level of confidence when they travel. Since the start of Covid-19, we have enhanced procedures and implemented measures across the customer journey, ranging from increased cleaning and distancing, deploying contactless check-in and inflight ordering, and trialling of digital pre-departure test verification tools amongst other initiatives. Scoot is proud to be the world’s first LCC to receive the highest Diamond status, and we’re heartened by this affirmation of our efforts to safeguard the health and safety of our customers and staff.”
Campbell Wilson, Scoot Chief Executive Officer
| Pre Flight | All aircraft are equipped with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, which are up to 99.98% effective at trapping microscopic particles such as bacteria and viruses. Air flows into and out of the cabin continuously, from top to bottom, with cabin air refreshed every two to three minutes. The aircraft air-conditioning and cabin ventilation systems are closely monitored to ensure they are fully operational. High-touch surfaces in cabins are treated with long-lasting antimicrobial coating, which is re-applied monthly. Passenger care kits consisting of a surgical mask, hand sanitizer, and anti-bacterial wipes, are pre-placed on passenger seats. To give customers added confidence in case they need to amend their travel plans after booking, a one-time free date change is available to all bookings made from now till the end of June 2021. Customers whose flights are cancelled during this period are also offered a refund via two options – 100 per cent refund via original mode of payment or 120 per cent of booking value in Scoot travel vouchers, valid for 24 months. Scootsurance coverage has been enhanced to include Covid-19 cover at no extra charge. The enhanced Scootsurance coverage covers pandemic-related overseas medical expenses, quarantine and hospitalisation allowance, and other costs arising from Covid-19 infection. Scootsurance is currently available for flights departing Singapore, Indonesia, Mainland China and Malaysia |
| Check In | Temperature screening is conducted prior to boarding and passengers with a temperature of 37.5 degrees (or as otherwise stipulated by local regulation) will not be allowed to board. Scoot is prioritising rolling out self-service check-in options across our network, subject to local regulatory approvals. Web check-in is currently available for flights departing from 40 out of 63 stations, including all operating points in Australia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, among others. Check-in via chatbot M.A.R.V.I.E. is also available for flights departing Singapore. Safe distancing measures are in place at gate-hold rooms and queuing areas, including check-in kiosks and before boarding. In March 2021, Scoot began its trial of two new digital initiatives to offer a one-stop solution for Covid-19 pre-departure tests (PDT) and a digital verification process during check-in to provide a more convenient and seamless travelling experience for customers. |
| Inflight | All operating crew undergo pre-flight temperature taking, are required to monitor their health, and must wear the appropriate Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) while on duty. For Scoot crew, these comprise of a 3-ply surgical mask, gloves and face shield. Crew members reporting for duty must not have any symptoms or physical contact with confirmed or suspected cases. Crew will also be seated at a designated section of the aircraft, at least 2m away from passengers and will be using a separate lavatory. Safe distancing measures are in place when not seated, including during embarkation and disembarkation, and when queueing to use a lavatory. Hand sanitisers are available on board our flights for use by customers and crew. Lavatories will also be regularly cleaned and disinfected, at least three times in an hour. Flights operate with limited inflight service to minimise contact between crew and passengers. Extra cabin bag, inflight seat upgrade and onboard purchase of duty-free products have been suspended. Scoot’s new inflight portal, ScootHub, was introduced in December 2020 to serve as a one-stop shop for all customer needs inflight. The portal allows passengers to purchase food, beverages, and duty-free shopping (available via ScootHub from second half of 2021), and access other inflight services such as games and inspirational destination content. This serves to reduce the risk of surface transmissions, as it replaces the physical Scoot Cafe Menus, in-flight magazines and Scootalogue duty-free magazines. |
| Post-flight | All arriving aircraft in Singapore are fogged entirely and all surfaces are wiped down with the Calla 1452 disinfectant. All headrest covers (antimacassars) are replaced after every flight arriving in Singapore. |
