Foreword
Dear Members,
Thank you for your hard work through a busy July to September. This quarter was dominated by two big conversations with the company: how to crew the coming Northern Winter, and the renewal of our Collective Agreement. Both took many long sessions, and both are shaped by what you told us.
When the company asked to change roster patterns in the middle of the year, we said no. Your leave and your off days were planned around the roster you were given, and we held that line. Where we did agree to help, we made sure it was limited, time bound, and paid properly.
All of this is happening in a difficult year for aviation. The war has driven fuel prices sharply higher, and fuel is the single biggest cost for any airline. Some airlines in our region are under serious strain, and business conditions across the industry remain challenging. Scoot is not immune to this, and that is the backdrop to our Collective Agreement talks. A hard year means we negotiate carefully and realistically. It does not mean you should carry the cost of it, and that is the line we hold at the table.
Beyond Scoot, we continued to work with our tripartite partners. At the CAAS level we pushed for a proper fatigue study for Singapore crew, and work on the flight and duty time rules is nearly complete.
The months ahead will be just as busy. CA talks continue and we will keep pressing on fatigue, rostering, and your welfare. Thank you for your trust. You make this union stronger.
In solidarity,
Pe Hon, President
Jessica, General Secretary
Jimmy, General Treasurer
Northern Winter: Protecting Your Leave and Off Days
Pilots
In July, the company proposed changing roster patterns mid-year across all fleets to cover a crew shortage over the Northern Winter. STSU rejected this. A mid-year change would have upended leave you had already planned and bid for. As a result, leave bid for October to April is protected.
We recognised the shortage is real, so we negotiated a limited arrangement instead. It applies only to fleets facing a shortage, and only in months when an agreed roster trigger is met. Under it:
- Flights can be rostered into an off day only when the roster is published, and the duty ends by 08:30.
- No standby and no second duty is assigned on that day.
- If you sign off at 08:31 or later, full IPD applies.
- Any need to man flight after the roster is published, the IPD framework applies, needs your consent.
- Each use is paid a Northern Winter Allowance of $300 for Captains and $200 for First Officers.
The arrangement ends with the Northern Winter season in March 2027. It sets no precedent and does not renew automatically.
We will not sugar coat it. Being rostered into an off day is a real inconvenience, and we know it lands on top of an already demanding season. But the alternative on the table was a mid-year roster pattern change across all fleets, which would have cost you far more, and that is what we fought hard against. This arrangement is the smaller cost, it is paid, and it ends with the season.
Collective Agreement: Talks Continue
Pilots, Cabin Crew & Ground
Negotiations on the next Collective Agreement have been running since July. Progress has been made on a number of items, and discussions continue on the rest. We will be honest: these are tough talks. Fuel prices are substantially higher than a year ago, and the company has told us its finances are under real pressure. That shapes how much the company says it can offer, and it makes every item harder to move. Our job is to make sure the cost of a difficult year is not simply passed on to you. We will keep you updated as discussions progress, and share the outcome as soon as it is concluded. Thank you for your patience and support.
Wins This Quarter
Pilots, Cabin Crew & Ground
Engineers On Board
The grievance raised by our Engineers On Board has been resolved. They receive two additional days of annual leave, and their terms will be recorded in an MOU.
CSA Interview Sit-out
A framework handling situations of second unsuccessful CSA interview was discussed. As part of the framework, the company proposed an 18 month sit-out after a second unsuccessful CSA interview. STSU pushed back; a 18 month sit-out is effectively a 24-36 months sit-out due to CSA openings and subsequent rostering of CSA. After extensive discussion, the sit-out has been set at 12 months.
Performance Bonus Formula
On-time performance has been removed from the performance bonus formula and replaced by Net Promoter Score (NPS), which measures how likely customers are to recommend Scoot. Unlike on-time performance, customer experience is something every one of us, on board and on the ground, has a direct hand in. The change has been formally agreed between STSU and the company, so it now forms part of how the bonus is assessed.
Decreased Medical Fitness
Pilots
Under the new Decreased Medical Fitness (DMF) and Prolong Illness (PIL) policy, a DMF notice together with a doctor's memo now covers your absence for medically necessary conditions. You no longer need a separate sick or hospitalisation leave certificate. Time spent waiting for the aeromedical board to reinstate you is also covered. This is a marked improvement. Previously, a DMF without an MC could leave you on unpaid leave, even though you were medically unable to fly.
Roster Marketplace and Roster Stability
Pilots, Cabin Crew
The Roster Marketplace starts rolling out soon. It is still a work in progress, and STSU is working with the company to review the soft rules that limit what you can swap. Several of these are being retired so that you can swap more freely, within the ANR rules. We will be watching the rollout closely and welcome your feedback.
STSU has also been pushing for the company to track roster stability, comparing the roster as published against what is actually flown. The company is working on it. This came out of your feedback on late roster changes, and once it is in place it will give us the data to hold the company to account. We will follow up to make sure it happens.
STSU Membership Benefits
Pilots, Cabin Crew & Ground
We are working with partners to bring members a health and wellness benefit, delivered through an app. The package we have been evaluating includes lower-cost GP visits and teleconsultations, discounted specialist, dental, and TCM visits, priority booking at polyclinics and public hospitals, and cover that can extend to your family and fur kids. We are taking care to get the terms right, including how your personal data is protected, before we sign. We will share full details and how to onboard once it is ready.
Claim for Your AI Subscriptions with UTAP
Pilots, Cabin Crew & Ground
Did you know that as an NTUC member, you can now claim back part of what you pay for AI tools such as ChatGPT or Claude?
From 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2028, the Union Training Assistance Programme (UTAP) covers 50% of selected AI tool subscriptions. The yearly cap is $250 if you are below 40, and $500 if you are 40 and above. This cap is shared with UTAP course fee claims.
To qualify, first complete a UTAP-approved AI course, then subscribe to an eligible AI tool within one year of finishing it. Full details and the list of eligible tools: https://www.ntuc.org.sg/uportal/programmes/union-training-assistance-programme
Fatigue: Pushing at the CAAS Level
Pilots, Cabin Crew
STSU has pushed for a fatigue study for Singapore-based crew at the CAAS level. It has not been formally agreed yet, but it is likely to go ahead. The working group has recommended that CAAS scope and fund a study using wearable devices, covering all operators and route types. This would give the whole industry real data on flight crew fatigue.
At the CAAS FRMC, STSU continues to work on the Window of Circadian Low (WOCL). The working group reviewing the flight and duty time rules has looked at five items: how the WOCL window is defined, the wording of that definition, rest before a series of duties, consecutive night duties, and the wider prescriptive framework. Four are settled in principle, and the WOCL definition is still under discussion.
Hotel Standards Checklist
Pilots, Cabin Crew
Our team is leading a rewrite of the hotel standards checklist, covering room temperature control, windows, noise, room changes, and food options. We aim to complete it by the end of the year. Please keep reporting hotel issues. Specific reports help.
No-Pay Leave Proration
Pilots, Cabin Crew & Ground
We raised with HR that no-pay leave has been prorated in a way that does not match the Collective Agreement wording. The current practice continues for now, and the wording will be fixed at the next renewal so that there is no ambiguity.
Dispatchers and Automated Flight Planning
Ground
Our dispatchers raised concerns about the move toward automated flight planning. STSU will engage Flight Operations and CAAS to understand what this means for dispatcher roles, and we will keep you updated.
Runway Closure and Taxi Times
Pilots, Cabin Crew
Runway works at Changi mean longer taxi times, and members flagged that scheduled times were not keeping up. STSU and the company studied this jointly, and the discussion is now complete. P50 times will catch up in the next season, so schedules better reflect the time you actually spend on the ground.
NTUC Aviation & Aerospace Cluster Youth Chapter
Pilots, Cabin Crew & Ground
As Singapore's aviation sector prepares for future growth, including opportunities arising from Terminal 5, there is an increasing need to attract, retain and develop the next generation of aviation talent.
The AA Youth Chapter is a joint initiative by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and NTUC Aerospace & Aviation Cluster to support this objective through structured youth engagement, mentorship, leadership development and community-building efforts.
The initiative aims to build a sustainable pipeline of young aviation workers while nurturing future industry and union leaders.
Join the inaugural AA Youth Chapter: Aviation Discovery Series, a flagship youth initiative supported by CAAS and NTUC Aerospace & Aviation Cluster to develop the next generation of aviation talent.
Highlights
- Insights on Terminal 5 and the future of Singapore aviation
- Human Library conversations with aviation professionals
- Networking with youths across the aviation ecosystem
- Exclusive operations immersion opportunities for selected participants
📅 28 November 2026📍 Changi Axis Auditorium
Registration open for young workers (35 years old and below)
Register via the QR code in the EDM or through the registration link below:
🔗 https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/AvK7J0Hqsw
Be part of the generation that will help shape the future of Singapore aviation.
Branch and Exco Movements
Pilots, Cabin Crew & Ground
Here are the changes to the Exco and branches since our last issue.
May 2026
- Clarence (320) and Prasanth (E2): Appointed as Pilot Branch Delegates.
- Daisy: Stepped down as a Pilot Branch Observer.
June 2026
- Jonathan Liew: Stepped down as Vice-President and Pilot Branch Delegate.
- Kayden Lee: Resigned from the Cabin Crew Branch Committee, with his last day at STSU on 30 June 2026.
- Parmeet (787), Benjamin Joo Ee (787) and Kaarthik (787): Appointed as Exco Observers from the Pilot Branch.
August 2026
- Keith Tan (787) and Karl Tan (787): Appointed as Pilot Branch Observers.
September 2026
- Farhan (320): Appointed as an Exco Observer.
October 2026
- Prasanth (E2): Appointed as an Exco Observer.
November 2026
- Ivy (320): To be appointed as a Pilot Branch Observer.
We welcome our new delegates and observers, and thank Jonathan, Kayden and Daisy for their service. Observers serve a six month term, sit in on meetings, and do not vote. It is a good way for members to see how the union works from the inside.
Follow Us on Instagram
Pilots, Cabin Crew & Ground
STSU now has an Instagram account. Follow us at @stsu.life for updates, photos, and behind the scenes from union events.