Singapore is looking to re-establish air connectivity with Australia, and this includes plans for a quarantine-free air travel bubble. "Singapore is currently in discussions with Australia on the mutual recognition of vaccination certificates and resumption of travel with priority for students and business travellers," Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a 14 March statement that addresses a same-day Sydney Morning Herald report on the matter. "We are also discussing the possibility of an air travel bubble which will allow residents of Singapore and Australia to travel between both countries without the need for quarantine." MFA's statement indicates that Australia is a key partner of Singapore in the region and thus far, both nations have been able to handle the Covid-19 situation. The ministry did not set any timeframe for the discussions and responded to suggestions in the article about the broader implications of Singapore and Australia's arrangement, if it materialises. The ministry states: "We are not in discussion on the concept of a quarantine centre or vaccination hub. Australian nationals can transit via Singapore without quarantining to return home if they travel on approved transit routes and if they comply with our public health protocols while in transit." The Sydney Morning Herald article cited by MFA states: "New Zealand could also be involved in what would become a three-way travel bubble that [Australia's] federal government sources are hopeful will be up and running by July or August – well before a mooted broader opening of [Australia's] international borders from October." The article also states: "It could also be possible for people from third countries to enter Australia via Singapore after completing two weeks’ quarantine in the city-state."

Deliveries of ATR turboprops barely reached double figures last year as the joint-venture manufacturer saw demand slump due to the pandemic. In all, the airframer shipped just 10 aircraft in 2020 – with nine of those handed over in the final quarter. That marks a sharp decline on the 68 units it delivered in 2019. The total is revealed in the full-year accounts of Leonardo, a 50% shareholder in ATR alongside Airbus. Leonardo builds fuselages for the ATR 42-600 and ATR 72-600 at plants in the south of Italy, shipping them to Toulouse in France for final assembly. Just 26 fuselages were delivered to the joint venture in 2020, down from 68 a year earlier. Leonardo does not expect a significant improvement in ATR’s performance this year either: deliveries will be “far below” pre-Covid levels, it says. Production cuts at Airbus and, more significantly, Boeing, combined to hammer the company’s aerostructures unit. Leonardo is responsible for two composite fuselage barrels and the horizontal stabiliser on the latter’s 787: last year it shipped 105 fuselage sections and 72 stabilisers against 164 fuselages and 92 stabilisers in 2019. Revenues in the division fell to €820 million ($976 million) from €1.1 billion a year earlier. EBITA losses widened to €86 million from €11 million in 2019. As a result of forecast lower medium-term demand for civil aircraft, Leonardo is taking action to address the impact on its aerostructures business, including the “early retirement” of around 500 employees in the division.

Qantas has launched its first customer trial of the CommonPass digital health application on its international repatriation flight to Darwin, Australia from Frankfurt, Germany. The smartphone application allows passengers to access their Covid-19 test results and immunisation records from their healthcare provider. The move follows a successful trial with crew in February and will offer safe access to border or health officials to verify test results. The Australian carrier says it is also assessing IATA's Travel Pass application and the latest development comes as part of its plan to resume safe international travel from 31 October.