Woman, 81 & her daughter trapped on Changi Airport T4 arrival aerobridge for 16 mins, 1st time such a thing occurred

Three passengers were left stranded on the aerobridge at Changi Airport Terminal 4 on Dec. 29 after disembarking from Cathay Pacific flight CX567 from Hong Kong to Singapore.

A video of the incident was shared on social media by one of the stranded passengers.

It showed the woman, her 81-year-old mother, and a third person unable to unlock the aerobridge door that leads to the arrival terminal.

A ground staff was seen attending to the trio to rectify the situation.

Cathay Airline subsequently apologised to the woman who shared about the incident.

Parliamentary response

In response to a parliamentary question posed by Aljunied GRC MP Gerald Giam regarding what had happened that led to the situation, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said via a written parliamentary reply that the incident was the first time such an occurrence had taken place at Changi Airport.

Chee said the airline’s crew did not see the three affected passengers when they were waiting at the aerobridge after disembarkation, and had mistakenly indicated to the ground handling agents that the aerobridge was clear of passengers.

The ground handling agents did not conduct a thorough check along the entire section of the aerobridge before locking the door, which should have been done as part of the standard operating procedure, the minister added.

Delay could have been avoided

A delay in unlocking the door was the result of the ground staff not calling Changi Airport Group’s (CAG) emergency hotline, which is the right number to call in such situations, even though she made calls to various parties to unlock the aerobridge door, Chee said.

This resulted in a delay in unlocking the door, and the affected passengers remained at the aerobridge for around 16 minutes before CAG was alerted and the door was unlocked.

However, a ground handling agent oversaw the passenger who required wheelchair assistance, it was also revealed.

In line with international industry practices, it is the responsibility of airlines, assisted by their appointed ground handling agents to ensure all passengers safely disembark from the aircraft and exit the aerobridge, before the aerobridge door leading to the terminal is locked, the written reply added.

Top photos via @michele9966 Instagram