Scoot resumes flights to Hokkaido from November 2022

Scoot has announced the resumption of service to Hokkaido from November 2022, with non-stop flights to Sapporo and one-stop options via Taipei. 

This launch will mark the restoration of all of Scoot’s pre-pandemic destinations to Japan, with daily service to Hokkaido and Tokyo, plus 4X weekly service to Osaka. 

Of course, this is an academic exercise for most until Japan opens up for free and easy travel, but do the airlines know something we don’t?

Scoot resumes Hokkaido service

From 1 November 2022, Scoot will resume its SIN-TPE-CTS service, with 3X weekly flights on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on a B787-8.

This will be further supplemented from 2 November 2022 to 27 February 2023 by a non-stop SIN-CTS service, operated 4X weekly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The Sunday service will only operate from 2 December to 30 January 2023, presumably to cater to the peak year-end demand. 

Singapore to Sapporo

Non-stop

Via TPE

Sapporo to Singapore

Non-stop

Via TPE

Tickets are already available for booking on Scoot’s website, starting from S$668 round-trip  in Economy (for the non-stop service). 

As a reminder, Scoot discontinued its “Plan with Confidence” complimentary rebooking benefit on 30 June 2022. Customers who want additional flexibility are now required to purchase a “FLEX add-on”, which comes in two configurations:

• BookFlex (from S$15): One-time flight date or time change (fare differences apply)
• MultiFlex (from S$20): Unlimited flight date or time changes (fare differences apply)

This is the clearest case of the decoy effect I’ve ever seen, with most customers no doubt gravitating towards the MultiFlex option. 

What about Singapore Airlines?

With Singapore and Sapporo separated by 8-9 hours of flight time, some passengers might prefer the comfort of a full service carrier. 

Singapore Airlines has historically operated seasonal flights to Sapporo, with the most recent edition running from 30 November 2019 to 7 January 2020. COVID put an end to the 2020/21 and 2021/22 schedules, and it remains to be seen if the airline decides to throw its hat into the ring this November, or test the water first with its budget arm. 

If it does, travellers can rest assured they’ll have a much better experience than before. What I remember most about the Sapporo route was that Singapore Airlines liked to put its absolute worst aircraft on it. I mean, it wasn’t too long ago you’d find the early 2000s Spacebed seats flying this route! 

If you paid the full service premium expecting a comfortable flat bed, I imagine you might have some choice words to say…

Fortunately, those aircraft are long gone, and if Singapore Airlines does decide to resume service to Sapporo, you’ll almost certainly get the 2018 Regional Business Class seat, which is not too shabby. 

Even if they somehow decide to pull the last remaining B777-200ER out of cold storage, it’ll at least have the 2006 Business Class full flat seat.

Current regulations for Japan travel

As many of us are unhappily aware, Japan has yet to really reopen. 

While tourists are permitted to enter, they must be part of a package tour (a one-person package tour is possible, but the cost is likely to be prohibitive), and escorted by a chaperone throughout their stay. A visa is also required. 

All travellers to Japan are required to present a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to departure, which can be any of the following:

• RT-PCR (nasal and saliva testing is acceptable)
• LAMP
• TMA
• TRC
• Smart Amp
• NEAR
• Next Generation Sequence
• Quantitative Antigen Test (CLEIA/ECLIA)

It should be noted that a Quantitative Antigen Test is not the same as the ARTs we know and use at home.

Children under the age of 6 are exempt from the testing requirement, provided they are accompanied by caregivers with negative test results. 

On arrival in Japan, the relevant testing and quarantine measures depend on your 14-day travel history and vaccination status. 

Singapore is currently classified as a Blue List country. However, if your 14-day travel history cuts across various categories, the restrictions of the strictest one will apply. 

You can view the categorisation of countries here. 

Blue List

Yellow List

Red List

Conclusion

Scoot will resume daily service to Sapporo from November 2022, providing year-end holiday goers with a non-stop option to Hokkaido for the first time since the pandemic began.

The key question is: does Japan plan to resume free and easy travel before then? No one knows, really. If you plan to book a flight, you’d do well to purchase Scoot’s flexibility add on, just in case.

Are you betting on Japan reopening in time for year end?