3rd January 2025 – (Singapore) A passenger named Michele posted on Instagram on 31st December, 2024, sharing a video that captured the distressing moment she, along with two friends and an elderly woman in a wheelchair, found themselves stuck between the boarding bridge and the gate at Singapore’s Changi Airport. Despite her attempts to push open the locked glass doors, they were unable to exit.
After approximately half an hour, the group was finally rescued. In her post, Michele expressed her outrage towards Cathay Pacific and the airport, stating, “Shame on you for locking the doors without checking for passengers, causing my 81-year-old mother emotional distress.” She further noted their unsuccessful attempts to contact airport police, with the emergency medical line indicating it was not a critical situation. Remarkably, it took them thirty minutes to find someone who could assist them.
The video also featured a staff member with a badge attempting to help, who was later identified as a wheelchair assistance personnel. Although she attempted to reach the airport police, her efforts were in vain.
In response, Cathay Pacific commented on Michele’s post, extending their apologies and confirming that an investigation into the incident was underway, with plans to follow up with the affected parties. Local media reports suggest that the airline suspects the incident may have occurred due to a failure of the ground handling staff to conduct a thorough check before closing the glass doors.
