The Government will inject a further $84 million to the aviation sector as companies continue to weather the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The amount is on top of other previously announced assistance for the sector, such as the Aviation Sector Assistance Package and the Enhanced Aviation Support Package.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) made the announcement on 29 December 2020.
“Given ongoing border restrictions and the resurgence of COVID-19 in many countries over winter, air travel will not recover soon. It is therefore critical that we maintain our support for the sector to help aviation companies and workers tide through the crisis,” said CAAS in a release.
The aviation sector remains the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of passenger traffic movements in November 2020 remained down by 98 per cent year-on-year.
According to CAAS, $39 million will go towards helping aviation companies manage the additional costs incurred as they put in place safety measures for air travel.
CAAS will provide rebates for fees and charges, such as the 50 per cent off license fees payable for ground handling and catering services at Changi and Seletar Airport from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.
There will also be a waiver of fees payable by Singapore carriers for Certificates of Airworthiness as well as licences for providing scheduled air services.
Some $20 million will go towards retaining and retraining aviation workers.
Pilots, air traffic controllers and aircraft maintenance engineers who have paid for their license fees and medical examination fees between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 will receive a full rebate off each.
Additionally, CAAS will work with SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), Workforce Singapore (WSG), NTUC LearningHub (LHUB) and the NTUC Aerospace and Aviation Cluster to help at-risk and under-employed aviation workers to enhance their employability and acquire skills to be re-deployed to other jobs within the sector.
It added that additional support to develop new programmes for the workers will be announced in January 2021.
NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Cham Hui Fong said: “We welcome the additional support from the Government to help our aviation workers who continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We will work closely with our training partners SSG, WSG and LHUB to ensure our workers acquire the necessary skills to help them take on other roles in the sector, as well as identify and plug any training gaps.”
Meanwhile, the remaining $25 million will go towards the Aviation Development Fund to provide support for companies in pressing on with their innovation and productivity efforts.
CAAS said: “Even as companies manage the immediate impact of COVID-19, it is important that they continue to invest in projects to improve productivity and build capabilities. This will enable the sector to manage longer-term manpower constraints and be ready for the recovery.
“Through these measures, we hope that we will strengthen the resilience of our companies and workers in the aviation sector as they continue to weather the COVID-19 pandemic.”
