CH’NG Poh Tiong
Greetings from France.
I left exactly a week ago on SQ336.
Except for very few people about (including airline check-in staff) the airport was utterly quiet.
You could have heard a pin drop. Then again not. Since the airport is carpeted.
The day before – Saturday 10 October 2021 – Singapore opened new VTLs to countries including France, Italy, Spain, USA, and the UK.
I imagine Changi Airport is busier now.
But, last Monday, I was the only customer at Lotte Duty-Free.
Got myself a dee-lee-cious Talisker 10 Years (bottled at 45.8 ABV).
SQ336 was an Airbus 350.
Fitted to accommodate 301 passengers – First Class Suite, Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy – there were fewer than 60 passengers and crew.
I had all three Economy seats to myself in the centre roll.
The breaded fish, pesto and vegetables was very good and went wonderfully with the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. I enjoyed the Martell VSOP as much, and watched the move Nobody again. After that, I snoozed for some seven hours.
The service throughout was excellent. Chief Stewardess Bernice Ooi (photographed) and her colleagues were terrific. Unfortunately, they were masked the entire flight and it was not possible to see them in their charming completeness.
Singapore is on France’s Green List.
If you are fully vaccinated, travellers from our country don’t need perform a PCR test before arriving in France. Masking is obligatory indoors here. Outdoors is more relaxed although most people still wear one.
There is no contact tracing in France. And no limit to dining. You can have 10 people around the table and it is perfectly legal. Restaurants do ask to see your health pass.
You can apply for an EU Digital COVID Certificate. You need to show an air-ticket proving you are travelling to the country to do so.
A week in France and I feel this is what life was like before Covid.
Follow me at @chngpohtiong on Instagram.
