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The service is suitable only for passengers with layovers longer than 90 minutes, and who need wheelchair assistance but can still walk short distances.<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A rear basket accommodates cabin-sized luggage up to 10kg, and a control panel lets passengers halt the wheelchair or request staff assistance.<\/span><\/p>\nPREDEFINED ROUTES<\/h2>\n