World's best airport Changi blames staff mistakes for slow baggage handling

Oliver Kiesewetter, senior vice-president at Changi Airport Group, said investigation found that after the first batch of bags arrived on the baggage belt, a human error by the baggage handling team caused a delay in presenting the second batch, The Straits Times reported.

When a flight arrives at Changi Airport, ground handlers unload and transport baggage from the aircraft to the baggage belts for passengers. The time required for this process can be influenced by various factors, including operational requirements, adverse weather, and safety precautions related to lightning risks for staff, Kiesewetter explained.

He said the airport would monitor the baggage delivery performance of all arrival flights to improve passengers' experience.

The tourist who visited Changi Airport on Nov. 17 claimed immigration clearance was swift but luggage delivery was far too slow. He said many passengers were left waiting for their bags around 45 minutes after landing.

However, his complaint has sparked mixed reactions from netizens, with many defending the quality of service at Changi.

Changi has been voted the world's best airport 13 times by the London-based aviation consultancy Skytrax and is consistently praised by travelers for its cleanliness, modernity, and efficient immigration procedures.

This year it was ranked the world's third best facility for baggage delivery, following Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Japan's Kansai International Airport, according to a passenger survey by Skytrax.

Singapore Changi saw a total of 67 million passengers per year.