Changi Airport introduced a new automated lane, the Special Assistance Lane (SAL), in selected passenger halls.
According to a press release, ICA issued on Dec. 16, automated clearance at checkpoints will be the norm.
Automated immigration clearance will be available to passengers with wheelchairs and family groups of up to four people with the SAL. Travelers in wheelchairs and family groups will have to use manual counters for immigration clearance before the SAL is installed.
With SAL, travelers can now perform immigration self-clearance with their biometric identifiers at lanes using cameras and scanners. Fingerprints will be used as a secondary biometric identifier if the iris and facial scans fail.
ICA said its officers will be at hand to provide assistance, and added that children below six years old will need to be assisted by an officer while at the new lanes. ICA has announced that Singapore is the first country to introduce an automated lane for group self-immigration clearance.
There will be more lanes installed
SALs are currently located in Terminal 1’s departure hall and Terminal 2’s arrival and departure halls.
Changi Airport will gradually install these lanes at other terminals, as well as at the land and sea checkpoints.
From March 2023, all Singapore citizens, permanent residents, and long-term pass holders will be able to access them.
Visit ICA’s website to learn more about the eligibility criteria for foreign visitors.
In light of more travelers using automated lanes, ICA officers will be able to take on enhanced job roles and focus on border security functions, such as profiling, assessment, and investigation.
(Credits: ICA)
