A woman and her toddler who felt abandoned at Changi Airport after flight home was abruptly canceled got a reprieve last night.
After being stranded “on the floor” for at least 19 hours, the passenger, identified as Irene Caselli, said last night that she and her 2-year-old could finally sleep in a hotel after their flight home to Athens, Greece, was canceled due to a snowstorm.
“An update: we have a hotel room now, after making a big fuss here and calling the Italian embassy. Thanks for your support. Two more days to go, but at least we have a bed and a shower available now,” she wrote in a Twitter thread update yesterday evening.
Shameful: @SingaporeAir has left us here on the floor at @ChangiAirport without options to make it home to #Greece. After #Athens shut down its airport, @flyscoot left us stranded in Singapore offering no sleeping arrangement for my son or alternative flights until Thursday. + pic.twitter.com/RgCuOkNiJG
— Irene Caselli (@irenecaselli) January 25, 2022
Scoot told Coconuts this morning that flights stopping at Athens and Berlin were canceled due to “adverse weather conditions” in Athens. Passengers affected have been rescheduled on flights scheduled to depart today and tomorrow.
Caselli first wrote just after midnight yesterday that they could not leave the airport due to COVID-19 restrictions. They were also told all airport hotels were booked, though she later found out that another stranded passenger from the same flight had gotten one.
“Shameful: @SingaporeAir has left us here on the floor at @ChangiAirport without options to make it home to Greece. After Athens shut down its airport, [Scoot] left us stranded in Singapore offering no sleeping arrangement for my son or alternative flights until Thursday,” she wrote.
She also complained that she was worried about their health.
“Can you imagine 3 days on the floor with a toddler, trying to avoid catching COVID? @SingaporeAir, shame on you,” she added. “Why won’t you put us on other flight to Europe?!”
This is how @flyscoot @SAirlines is leaving my two year old stranded at @ChangiAirport, sleeping on the floor and offering no accommodation for the next 48 hours – for him or for us, his parents. This is inadmissible. pic.twitter.com/SmXAHzpX6G
— Irene Caselli (@irenecaselli) January 24, 2022
She added that the staff did not care to offer them alternatives despite seeing the toddler sleeping on the floor.
Singapore Airlines, parent company of Scoot, replied to her tweets 10 hours later saying that Scoot had reached out to her and a hotel room was made available. It asked her to approach staff for assistance.
Changi Airport also chimed in to apologize and confirm that the airline had arranged food and accommodation for all and rescheduled flights.
“I hope your stay at the hotel will be a comfortable one till your next flight out,” Changi Airport spokesperson Anthea wrote.
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