Oral Reply to Parliamentary Question on Measures to Prevent Long-Stay Passengers at the Transit Area of Changi Airport

Question:

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how long are passengers allowed to stay within the transit area of Changi Airport; (b) how are security checks performed to ensure passengers do not stay beyond the allotted duration within the transit area; and (c) whether the Ministry has stepped up its measures to prevent long-stay passengers at the transit area of Changi Airport, such as the incident in 2019 where two YouTubers had stayed for four days at the transit area of Changi Airport.

Answer:

Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Development:

1. Passengers are allowed to stay within the transit area of the airport only if it is a temporary layover prior to a planned departure.

2. Our security agencies conduct regular patrols and look out for people who may not have a valid reason to be in the transit area.

3. The Airport Police also engages the airport community, including through training, to get them to keep a lookout for suspicious behaviours and unattended items.

4. For example, transit lounge operators will report to the Airport Police when travellers entering the lounge do not have a valid air ticket for a departing flight. Airline staff will likewise alert the Airport Police when passengers do not turn up for their flight.

5. Lastly, the Airport Police works with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to identify through ICA’s records, persons who may have been in the transit area without a valid reason.