6-2-2025 (SINGAPORE) Three passengers, including an 80-year-old wheelchair user, were left stranded on a passenger boarding bridge in Changi airport for 16 minutes following a series of procedural failures by Cathay Pacific staff and ground crew.
The incident, which occurred on 29 December 2024, came to light when Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat addressed a parliamentary query from Workers’ Party MP Yan Yansong on 5 February. This marks the first such occurrence at the award-winning airport.
According to Minister Chee, the situation unfolded when Cathay Pacific cabin crew failed to notice the remaining passengers on the aerobridge and erroneously informed ground staff that all passengers had disembarked. Compounding this error, ground personnel neglected to perform the mandatory thorough inspection of the boarding bridge before securing the doors, effectively cutting off the passengers’ access to the terminal building.
Among those affected was an elderly woman in a wheelchair, accompanied by a ground handling company employee. Despite multiple attempts to contact various airport units, the attending staff member failed to utilise Changi Airport Group’s emergency hotline, prolonging the passengers’ ordeal. The situation was only resolved when airport authorities were finally alerted and dispatched personnel to unlock the doors.
The incident gained public attention after one of the affected passengers, identified as Michelle, shared her experience on social media. She described her 81-year-old mother’s distress during the ordeal and vowed never to fly with Cathay Pacific again.
In response to the incident, Cathay Pacific has issued apologies to the affected passengers and provided compensation. The airline has since collaborated with ground handling agents to reinforce proper coordination protocols. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Changi Airport Group have also taken steps to prevent similar incidents by sharing these lessons with other airlines and ground handling operators.
