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© 2024 Changi Airport
Care@Changi commits to fostering greater inclusivity to enhance passenger experience
By Audrey Thalia Prajogo
As part of Changi Airport’s vision to enhance inclusivity and travel experience at the airport for every passenger, I had the opportunity to meet with two team members at the forefront of these transformative efforts – Wenya and Joanne from CAG’s Quality Service Management team. Their commitment to serving passengers with special needs was inspiring as they shared about the Care@Changi programme.
What is the Care@Changi programme all about?
Joanne: The Care@Changi programme aims to create an inclusive airport for all by catering to the diverse needs of people with both physical and invisible disabilities. The programme focuses on three key areas – facilities and amenities, training, and tools and services. Facilities and amenities such as wheelchair ramps, accessible toilets, and special assistance lanes play a big part in creating a more accessible environment. Training focuses on nurturing empathy in our service staff and empowering them with practical knowledge and skills to help passengers with disabilities like hearing or visual impairments, autism, dementia, and more. Tools and services such as wheelchair assistance and sensory kits are developed to support the passenger’s journey, making it a less stressful experience for them at Changi.
What does an inclusive Changi mean to you?
Wenya: To me, an inclusive airport is a place where every passenger or visitor, regardless of demographic, feels valued, supported, and empowered to travel independently and confidently.
Joanne: Yes, and to be very honest, I don’t think we are there yet. For example, persons with reduced mobility can’t even get to the staff canteen! As an airport, there’s much more that we can do in the areas of infrastructure, education, and enhancement of tools and services so that every visitor can navigate and enjoy the airport with ease.
How has the Care@Changi programme evolved over the years?
Wenya: When we first launched Care@Changi, our primary focus was on physical disabilities. However, as societal awareness has grown, we see the need to include individuals with invisible disabilities. Our efforts have then naturally expanded to better prepare for the diverse requirements of our passengers.
Selected staff members in the community are trained as Care Ambassadors.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced while working on the programme?
Wenya: One of the challenges is finding a suitable approach. The spectrum is wide for invisible disabilities. No one really knows what causes a meltdown as every individual is unique and could be triggered by very different things. So, when we talk about an inclusive society or airport, the question is, how far do we go to cater to such a broad spectrum of needs?
Joanne: That’s right. We wanted to approach this in a user-centered way and bring people along on this journey with us. Hence, we started our engagements with a diverse group to learn from them. From caregivers of young children with autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, elderly people with dementia, professionals from the Asian Women's Welfare Association and Rainbow Centre to occupational therapists working in special schools and nursing homes.
What would be your biggest takeaway from engaging these diverse groups of people?
Wenya: It’s not easy being a caregiver. They get judged a lot, especially when a meltdown happens in public. Parenting is challenging enough on its own, and it becomes harder when you’re caring for a special needs child. So, I empathise with them.
Joanne: For me, it is the fact that something that can be so easy for us can be a hundred-fold more difficult for someone with disabilities. Simple things that we take for granted, like walking and ordering food, are a lot harder for them. For instance, we can navigate a hawker centre and buy our food with ease, but for them, they can struggle with a crowded environment and handling trays of hot food. So, no matter who or where you are, a little bit of patience and empathy goes a long way.
Could you share with us what’s currently available as part of Care@Changi and what passengers and staff can expect in the near future?
Joanne: The airport provides wheelchairs and strollers that are free for use. Under the Care@Changi touchpoints, we have priority lanes at Taxi Stands and Special Assistance Lanes at Departure and Arrival Immigration. Information counters are equipped with Hearing Enhancement Systems. For facilities, apart from Baby Care Rooms & Family Toilets, there are also Adult Diaper Changing Rooms in Terminals 2 and 3 to help caregivers who require such specialised amenities.
Wenya: We also have the Changi Airport Social Story. This is a digital guide designed to help caregivers and individuals with invisible disabilities familiarise themselves with the various processes involved when travelling through Changi.
Joanne: Looking ahead, we hope to develop more tools to help passengers navigate the airport more independently. For example, Sensory Maps that highlight areas in the airport with high stimuli such as strong smells, loud noises, and bright lights. We have also refreshed the Care Ambassador training programme as a first step towards empowering our staff to serve passengers with disabilities more confidently. They will play an important role in growing the awareness of inclusivity amongst their colleagues too.
How can the airport community be a part of the Care@Changi programme?
Joanne: Enablers and Leaders can support the programme by nominating the right people in their organisations to be Care Ambassadors. Most importantly, we need airport staff with a heart for people so that they can be strong advocates for our cause. Where possible, they should also spotlight their Care Ambassadors so that the wider community knows who they are and can seek help and advice in times of need.
Wenya: For the general community, we can all treat every passenger and visitor with respect. You may not know how to manage the situation, but always seek to understand instead of judge. Be patient, respectful, and empathetic.