Disruption in clearance system affecting some checkpoints, delays expected: ICA

DELAYS are expected across some land and air checkpoints due to a disruption in the immigration clearance system. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced the disruption on Facebook at 11.28 am, adding that it “regrets the inconvenience caused to travellers and seek their understanding and patience”. In an update at 12.03 pm, it advised travellers to postpone all non-essential travel. Official updates would be put up on ICA’s Facebook page, it added. Meanwhile, motorists entering Singapore through either the Woodlands or Tuas Checkpoints griped online that they had been left waiting in the queue with no reprieve in sight. In a Facebook group for Malaysians who work in Singapore, several people had posted photos of long queues of vehicles on the Causeway, and of people in the immigration hall. Most said they had been waiting for about an hour, with one commenter saying that the automatic counters were down.  Similarly, long queues had formed at Changi Airport as well, with throngs of people waiting to enter departure gates. When The Straits Times (ST) visited the airport just after 12.00 pm, the departure area at Terminal 3 just before the automated clearance gates was filled to the brim, with an announcement blaring through its public address system apologising for the delays. Two queues — each measuring about 50m long — had formed as well, leading up to the departure area. In contrast, ST did not observe any queues at Terminal 2. Changi Airport said on Facebook and Twitter at about 12.30 pm that the system disruption had affected the automatic lanes for both departing and arriving passengers across the terminals. “Passengers should expect delays and approach our ground staff if assistance is needed,” it added. Steven Chen, 49, who works in the IT industry, was with a group of friends at the airport on Friday morning to send a friend off. He said they had just finished their meal at an eatery in Terminal 3 at around 11.00 am when they heard the announcement over the PA system about the system issues. Their friend, who was flying with a two-year-old child, took about an hour to get into the departure area even though they were given priority. “They started queuing at about 11.45 am, and only reached the front of the queue at about 12.30 pm,” he said. “It took them another 10 to 15 minutes to clear the automated gates.” Meanwhile, Margaret Page, 58, said she had a much smoother experience while in the queue. It had taken all of about 15 minutes for the Canadian to pass through the departure gate since she first started queuing. “This is my second time in Singapore, but the last time I was here, things weren’t like this. “Technical issues do happen now and again, and I think it was quite thoughtful of the airport staff to give those of us in the queue a bottle of water,” she added. THE STRAITS TIMES