Rules Governing Use of Premium Cabin Flights for Political Office Holders and Permanent Secretaries on Official Duty
Ministry of FinanceSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the rules, review frequency, and private sector comparability regarding the use of premium cabin flights for political office holders and Permanent Secretaries on official duty, raised by Mr Fadli Fawzi. In response, Minister Chan Chun Sing explained that Singapore relies primarily on commercial flights rather than dedicated government aircraft for official overseas travel. He stated that travel class guidelines ensure officials can perform effectively and represent Singapore appropriately while responsibly using public resources, factoring in seniority, flight duration, and trip requirements. Minister Chan Chun Sing noted that these guidelines are reviewed periodically, updated as necessary, and broadly consistent with prevailing private sector practices for senior leaders. Finally, he highlighted that individual ministries and agencies manage their own air travel in adherence to established guidelines, with no central aggregate data collected.
Transcript
45 Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what are the rules governing the use of premium cabin flights for political office holders and Permanent Secretaries while on official duty; (b) when were these rules last reviewed; (c) how do these rules compare with those for senior private sector leaders; (d) whether there is a need to review these rules; and (e) if not, why not.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Singapore relies primarily on commercial flights, rather than dedicated Government aircraft, for official overseas travel. The guidelines governing the class of travel for Political Office Holders (POHs) and public officers are designed to ensure that travel arrangements are appropriate while making responsible use of public resources. They take into account several factors, including the seniority of the person travelling, the duration of the flight as well as the purpose and requirements of the trip. The objective is to ensure that officials are able to perform their duties effectively upon arrival and represent Singapore appropriately in their official engagements.
These guidelines are reviewed periodically and updated when necessary to keep pace with changes in travel practices and operating needs. They are also broadly consistent with prevailing practices for senior leaders in the private sector.
The Member also asked for statistics on class of travel for flights taken by POHs in the current term of Government under the written Parliamentary Question 1680. [Please refer to "Breakdown on First Class Flights Taken by Political Office Holders on Official Duty at Public Expense by Quantity, Duration and Cost", Official Report, 5 August 2026, Vol 96, Issue 34, Written Answers to Questions section.]
Agencies individually manage air travel for their POHs and public officers, and we do not collect aggregate data on this. All Ministries and agencies are expected to adhere to the established guidelines.