The service is suitable only for passengers with layovers longer than 90 minutes, and who need wheelchair assistance but can still walk short distances.
During a demonstration, the wheelchair slowed down in shopping areas and played music to alert nearby pedestrians. It also stopped automatically when its path was obstructed and signalled for people to move aside.
Demand for special assistance services is expected to grow as Singapore's population ages and air travel increases. Airlines at Changi handle about 2,300 wheelchair assistance requests a day, four in five of them from transfer passengers. Requests rose 20 per cent between 2023 and 2025.
The wheelchairs can carry passengers weighing up to 136kg and travel at a maximum speed of 3.5kmh, slow enough for family members to walk alongside.
They move along predefined routes within departure transit areas, with each journey monitored by a SATS ground handling supervisor at a control centre. Sensors detect obstacles and pedestrian traffic along the customised routes.
Safety features include seatbelt monitoring, which stops the wheelchair from moving unless the seatbelt is fastened, an emergency stop button and an assistance call function.
A rear basket accommodates cabin-sized luggage up to 10kg, and a control panel lets passengers halt the wheelchair or request staff assistance.
The wheelchairs run on swappable batteries lasting up to seven hours per charge.
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During a demonstration, the wheelchair slowed down in shopping areas and played music to alert nearby pedestrians. It also stopped automatically when its path was obstructed and signalled for people to move aside.
Demand for special assistance services is expected to grow as Singapore's population ages and air travel increases. Airlines at Changi handle about 2,300 wheelchair assistance requests a day, four in five of them from transfer passengers. Requests rose 20 per cent between 2023 and 2025.
PREDEFINED ROUTES
The wheelchairs can carry passengers weighing up to 136kg and travel at a maximum speed of 3.5kmh, slow enough for family members to walk alongside.
They move along predefined routes within departure transit areas, with each journey monitored by a SATS ground handling supervisor at a control centre. Sensors detect obstacles and pedestrian traffic along the customised routes.
Safety features include seatbelt monitoring, which stops the wheelchair from moving unless the seatbelt is fastened, an emergency stop button and an assistance call function.
A rear basket accommodates cabin-sized luggage up to 10kg, and a control panel lets passengers halt the wheelchair or request staff assistance.
The wheelchairs run on swappable batteries lasting up to seven hours per charge.
Continue reading...