World No. 1 Airport

I had booked an SQ air ticket online for my mother who was going back to Penang for a funeral. As it was a last minute booking, I had to collect my ticket from the airport itself. In the SQ website, it was listed that the Excess Baggage Claim Row 1 (Departure Hall) was the place I could go to.

So I went to T2 during lunch time, 2.5 hours before the departure time, together with my 66-year-old mother, we walked to Row 1. Both Row 1 and 2 were closed because the lights were off. There was one staff sitting behind the counter facing the main gate. I approached the staff, thinking that I could ask for an alternative counter where I could get my ticket.

The female staff who was in her uniform was having her lunch. I asked her: "Excuse me, could you please help me..." Without waiting for me to complete my request, she looked up, without a hint of smile, and said: "You can't see I'm eating, ah?"

You can imagine how shocked I was! As a customer, I was "reprimanded" for interrupting her lunch! I didn't ask for her name because I was in a rush and I didn't want to affect my poor mother who was already in distraught over her sister's death. So I walked away and went to the Excess Baggage counter at Row 3 and get my things settled.

I can't help but thinking what breed this type of behaviour. Was it because she had a "bo-chap" attitude? Was it because she's not paid well? What???

I always believe that it's important to like your job. Even if you don't like your job and that's no way you could get out of it (like in SIP), the least you should do is to respect your job, respect your profession. There's an old Chinese saying... "respect your job and love your job". I don't think I can respect this Airport staff because she did not show respect to her job, hence herself.

I complained to the Changi Airport authority. No I didn't ask for her name...