Straits Times Online

25 June 2014

Citizens enjoy greater access to immigration clearance

 

WE THANK Mr Ng Keng Nam for his feedback ("Open more immigration counters for S'poreans at Changi Airport"; Forum Online, June 17).

 

Singapore citizens have the options of using any manned counters or automated clearance lanes at the airport for immigration clearance. This includes manned counters reserved specifically for Singapore citizens and those marked "All Passports".

 

When Mr Ng and his family touched down at Changi Airport on June 7, a total of eight manned counters marked "All Passports" were opened, which Singaporeans can also use for immigration clearance.

 

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) monitors passenger flows closely so that manpower deployment can be calibrated to manage immigration clearance.

 

For example, ICA deploys more manpower for immigration clearance when there is a high volume of flight arrivals at the airport. Manned counters can also be converted flexibly to cater to the different groups of travellers, depending on the travellers' volume and type.

 

ICA is committed to service excellence without compromising security. We would like to seek travellers' understanding and patience as we continue to find ways to improve the process.

 

Vincent Ng

Head, Public & Internal Communications

Corporate Communications Division

Immigration & Checkpoints Authority

 

 

<Original Letter>

Straits Times Online

17 June 2014

 

Open more immigration counters for S'poreans at Changi Airport

  

ON JUNE 7, I returned to Singapore with my family and there were long queues at all the immigration counters that were open. I could not help but notice that out of the 11 open counters, only one was dedicated to Singapore citizens.

 

This is at odds with the messages at the airport welcoming Singaporeans home - standing in line waiting to clear immigration is not very welcoming.

 

I understand that Singaporeans are encouraged to use the automated counters but families with children below seven years old cannot use them. In addition, senior citizens might prefer using the counters manned by immigration officers. This implies that the Singaporeans who do stand in line at the manned counters are the ones who would most appreciate speedy clearance.

 

I have no axe to grind with foreigners and tourists, but reserving only one out of 11 counters for Singaporeans is insufficient.

 

In all the countries' airports I have passed through, there are more counters for their own citizens than for foreigners.

 

Returning home only to be stuck in long lines in one's own country is a bad way to end any holiday or business trip.

 

I appreciate that there is no point in wasting manpower resources to have many counters reserved for Singaporeans when there is a long queue of foreigners to be cleared. But this was not the case the day I returned home.

 

Ng Keng Nam