Tourists escaping from frosty winters to enjoy a year-end trip in sunny Singapore may have to undergo one final obstacle before they paint the town red: delayed luggage retrievals at Changi Airport.
But it’s for the safety of the airport staff — with the December monsoon season comes increased lightning risks and torrential rains that’ll force ground handlers to temporarily halt the retrieval of baggage from aircraft, according to Changi Airport Group (CAG). Singapore is home to one of the highest occurrences of lightning activity in the world, after all.
“When there is lightning activity, there is also the possibility of a ‘side flash’, where dangerous static electric discharge occurs even when the workers are standing close to the aircraft and not in contact with any object,” said CAG in a statement, noting that bad weather already caused baggage delays for 1.5 percent of arrival flights last month.
Under normal weather conditions, CAG aims to get luggage within reach of passengers about 35 minutes after the aircraft is docked. Those who might have to wait a little longer will get notified via the monitor displays at baggage claim belts, public announcements, and soon, signages that’ll be placed on the belts themselves.
In a display of why Singapore’s airport is the best in the world, CAG has turned some space at the Baggage Claim Halls in Terminals 2 and 3 into lounges for passengers to access WiFi and power plugs while waiting for their luggages. Those affected will even get refreshments such as bottled water, canned coffee, packets of Milo, and biscuits.
Regardless of the delay duration, it’ll be a way better experience than the hundreds who got their baggage intentionally sent to wrong destinations by a rogue handler.
