Even the world’s best airports aren’t immune to criticism, it appears.
Singapore’s Changi Airport recently found itself on the receiving end of some rather harsh complaints from a tourist.
And the main source of her frustration? The carpets.
In a series of posts on Oct 9, X user Neflorious criticised the airport’s carpeted floors, saying that they made it difficult for travellers to get around.
“Now which stupid f*** decided to put down carpet at the Singapore airport,” she wrote.
In a separate post, the tourist said Changi Airport was the “most incompetent airport” she had ever visited.
“Make sure you leave early when flying out because they’ll make life difficult for you every step of the way.”
Her sharp remarks quickly drew attention online, and made their way to Singaporeans who were ready to defend the airport.
On Monday (Oct 12), Theodore Lee, better known as ‘Blogfather of Singapore’ Mrbrown, weighed in on the tourist’s criticism of Changi Airport’s carpeted floors.
“To answer her first question, it’s because of noise. Nobody wants to hear thousands of suitcases being wheeled around,” he wrote, adding that travellers who have difficulty moving their luggage can use the free-to-use trolleys at the airport.
Several netizens agreed with his explanation, with one saying: “I want a quiet airport without the sound of luggage wheels scraping the floor.”
Meanwhile, others were baffled by the tourist’s aversion to the flooring.
“Sorry, what’s wrong with the carpet?” one asked. Another questioned: “What on earth are they wheeling over the carpet?”
An Australian who had been to Changi Airport several times said: “Not once have I ever thought about the carpet”.
“I have never had a problem with our airport floor. I was a flight attendant for 20 years, I think our airport with fantastic,” another netizen commented.
The tourist’s comments, however, resonated with some people.
“My personal experience, not that I am hating, but carpeted floors make it hard to push luggages on four wheels,” a netizen pointed out.
In fact, Changi Airport itself had highlighted the use of its carpets.
In a social media post in April, the airport rated the carpeting across its terminals.
Beyond aesthetics, the airport explained that the carpets helps soften noise to create a “calmer, quieter, and more comfortable” environment.
And this isn’t the first time Changi Airport’s carpeted floors have sparked debate.
Last September, a tourist posted a photo of the airport’s flooring on Chinese social media platform XiaoHongShu, pointing out that it was carpeted.
This garnered a slew of comments from netizens.
While many praised its appearance and comfort, there were also some who questioned its cleanliness after seeing photos of travellers lying on the floor.
Some complained that the carpet made it more difficult to move around with luggage in tow.
Other complaints
Amid the backlash, the tourist took to social media again to elaborate on her unpleasant experience at Changi Airport.
She clarified that her main gripe was with the airport’s security arrangements, claiming that three to four flights were boarding at the same time, with hundreds of passengers having to pass through just two security lanes.
According to the tourist, the situation was further complicated by ground staff redirecting passengers between queues.
“So now a bunch of people are trying to squeeze in front of others who are already at the security checkpoint with their baggage open. It was a s***show,” she alleged.
The woman didn’t accept the explanation for the carpeting, saying that “many other materials are both quiet and sleek”, and also argued that using trolleys for her luggage meant “bad user experience”.
AsiaOne has contacted Changi Airport Group for comment.
But despite not being everyone’s cup of tea, Changi Airport has continued to receive international recognition.
In March, it was named the World’s Best Airport for a record-breaking 14th time in Skytrax’s World Airport Awards.
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carol.ong@asiaone.com
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