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Singapore has the best system, you are given a plastic token with a number corresponding to the number on your tray. When you come out the other side of securit

Singapore has the best system, you are given a plastic token with a number corresponding to the number on your tray. When you come out the other side of security and want to collect your tray, you have to present the plastic token otherwise they won't give you your tray back. That other airports don't implement this system continues to astonish me.

sitepodmatt 8y ago
It surprises me that other major airports choose to independently innovate without just copying Changi (Singapore's airport). Everything from free cinemas, to carpeted walkways, to water taps, to efficent immigration and security and more.
- speeq 8y ago
  I didn't like the carpeted walkways there to be honest since it just made it more difficult to pull my hand luggage.
  - lostlogin 8y ago
    Heavy stuff and soft surfaces don’t mix. A hospital nearby has carpets in places. The staff pushing the half ton x-ray machine leave furrows like they are plowing a paddock.
  - sitepodmatt 8y ago
    Maybe part of the plan, it's difficult to enforce hand luggage limitations at airports without adding extra checks, but if you exceed 10kg that overweight suitcase is going to make some drag on carpet. Small nudges, similarly how BA cabin crew are instructed to never help anyone put their luggage in the overhead bin unless they have a suitable reason.
    - r00fus 8y ago
      > BA cabin crew are instructed to never help anyone put their luggage in the overhead bin unless they have a suitable reason. Is this for real? Sucks, but I can imagine most fellow passengers pick up the slack... at least I've always helped others (and vice-versa) in the US.
      - sitepodmatt 8y ago
        It is, Ive witnessed cabin crew refuse or ignore multiple times, and clearly says so on their website too that passengers must be able to put luggage in the bins themselves. Makes sense to me, if you can't lift it then it's probably overweight and should of been checked in. Obviously I'm sure they'd make exceptions for unaccompanied children, height challenged people, injured, the very elderly, those with noted back issues, 1st class passengers maybe. Seems a reasonable policy, faster boarding, reduction in abuse, space for others, etc.. https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/baggage-essentials/hand-baggage-allowances https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/baggage-ess... It all about small nudges, disincentives to affect future behavior, back to the Singapore airside carpets. Others do pick up the slack indeed, and usually both ended up with a quick moan, whilst I really wanna comment you selfish .#*@ that suitcase is taking up half the bin, where do I put my bag, or good forbid you try put that 20kg on top of my small rugsack
      - wafflebear 8y ago
        It's for the safety of the cabin crew. If they had to help put people's heavy bags in the overheads on every flight, they would quickly get back injuries. It's fine for the passengers because they are not doing it often.
    - speeq 8y ago
      I mostly fly budget airlines so my hand luggage has to be lightweight, but the carpet at Changi is a minor inconvenience (especially when one is tired after a +13h flight) because my luggage practically rolls itself when you give it a nudge on an even surface!
- Max_aaa 8y ago
  And the variety of available food choices. Or the fact that the is a nice gym with a shower. It is one of the best airports I have ever seen.
- ASalazarMX 8y ago
  > efficent immigration A couple of years ago I had to take a connected flight where one of the stops was in USA. I was never going to leave the airport, yet I had to form in a line while immigration was doing the routine bottleneck check on dozens of travelers, while my flight time was getting dangerously close. We just had to suck it up, any complaining just brought additional delays. The check was fairly automated, I guess they just needed more agents, or less gratuitous revisions.
  - chimeracoder 8y ago
    > A couple of years ago I had to take a connected flight where one of the stops was in USA. I was never going to leave the airport, yet I had to form in a line while immigration was doing the routine bottleneck check on dozens of travelers, while my flight time was getting dangerously close. We just had to suck it up, any complaining just brought additional delays. The check was fairly automated, I guess they just needed more agents, or less gratuitous revisions. I had this exact same experience with LHR (London Heathrow). I was never even trying to leave the airport, just make a connecting flight. Not only did they decide that having a single security lane open was sufficient, but they also (effectively) only let one person unload their bag into the trays at a time, for a max bus throughput of 1 person at a time. If you left anything in it - and I mean anything[0] - they pulled your bag and tray to the side, and you had to wait for one of two agents to inspect it. The wait time for that was about 10-15 minutes. At no point did anybody have any sense of urgency whatsoever with their work, despite all of us being there to make connecting flights. They shuffled back and forth between the body scanner, X-ray machine, and the break area, chatting with each other. I was seventh in line, and in all, the entire process took literally 30 minutes (I timed it). I was floored, because I've traveled around the world and never seen anything this bad. Even Heathrow security has never been that bad for me when taking off from London. There was an agent from our departing flight there to escort us, because we were holding the whole flight up. I asked her if this was typical or not, and she just rolled her eyes and laughed, "yeah, this is how it usually is". [0] One guy next to me had his back selected because he had left his eyeglasses inside his bag, in a plastic (not metal) case.
  - dominotw 8y ago
    I had to do this in Abu Dhabi. The whole story is organized in an amerturish fashion. They were parading us around through various queques in the airport in groups of ppl landing on same plane. The whole thing was really bizzare and humiliating.
EGreg 8y ago
What astonishes me also is the baggage claim. I can literally take a few people’s suitcases circling around before they spot them, and leave!
- blawson 8y ago
  Even more amazing in airports like SFO where baggage claim is after security, such that anyone can wander in off the curb and pick up a bag. I think this is uniquely American though.
  - nervousvarun 8y ago
    It's done this way in Canada as well. Source :): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailer_Park_Boys https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailer_Park_Boys
  - conanbatt 8y ago
    Have to remember though, that its just as easy to steal anything nobody is watching. It is not the incapacity to steal the only thing that stops stealing.
    - jacquesm 8y ago
      True, but when you're boarding the plane on the other end there is no sign that says 'remember, your bags will be left unattended in a public space upon arrival'. Schiphol does it about equally dumb where the baggage carousel is past the last security check and 10 meters from the public spaces. It would be trivial to take one or more bags that aren't yours and walk out.
      - EGreg 8y ago
        I have some ideas and a provisional patent on two things: 1) “Meet your baggage” a simple system that can be bolted on to most existing processes that lets you know which airport your luggage is at, where it is in the process, and when your luggage is coming out and on what carousel. So you can be standing by the chute expecting it. 2) A system for seats to recline starting from the back, letting people switch seats and pay $ and go to sleep in a comfortable reclining position, which I find is really crucial for a long flight and people are willing to pay for. If you’re interested and have some connections with the airline industry email me at greg+airline the at symbol qbix.com
bahularora 8y ago
India has the same system.
bfred_it 8y ago
I’m Changi Terminal 2 and I’m not seeing any tokens being exchanged. Are you sure that this was not airline-specific? Side note for the unaware: Singapore’s airport has screening at each and every gate instead of a joint one right after passport control.
- wafflebear 8y ago
  This was at Changi Terminal 3. The screening at the gate is annoying IMO, because you can't buy a drink to take on the plane. It's my only complaint about Changi.
  - csomar 8y ago
    You can take drinks on the plane? I don't think it is a good idea.
    - wafflebear 8y ago
      Non-alcoholic drinks, sure. I usually buy a bottle of water at least, flight attendants are not always able to serve drinks, it helps to bring something with you.
- bfred_it 8y ago
  OP here. My bad. Apparently they only give the token when you leave your phone or computer, but not always.
weekay 8y ago
Not just Singapore , a lot of other airports do this as well ,as other comments have pointed out. This isn't the norm in the UK unfortunately. The reason boils down to staffing on the other end to check the token and to handover the tray. Token and staffing would mean added cost and liability - not something an outsourced security vendor or another government department agency would be willing to foot the bill for.
- mdekkers 8y ago
  To be fair, this is trivial to automate - barcode on the token, scan on the other side, conveyor belt pops out your trays.
seanmcdirmid 8y ago
I don’t remember them having that for airside transfers (from a few years ago anyways). Is that new?
dragonwriter 8y ago
> That other airports don't implement this system continues to astonish me. For the US airports where TSA directly provides airport security, this is probably mission-related. The TSA checkpoint’s mission is to make sure unauthorized people and objects don't get into the sterile section of the airport. Additional protocols to prevent theft are off mission, so resources aren't going to be devoted to identifying, establishing, and operating them.

sitepodmatt 8y ago

It surprises me that other major airports choose to independently innovate without just copying Changi (Singapore's airport). Everything from free cinemas, to carpeted walkways, to water taps, to efficent immigration and security and more.

speeq 8y ago
I didn't like the carpeted walkways there to be honest since it just made it more difficult to pull my hand luggage.
- lostlogin 8y ago
  Heavy stuff and soft surfaces don’t mix. A hospital nearby has carpets in places. The staff pushing the half ton x-ray machine leave furrows like they are plowing a paddock.
- sitepodmatt 8y ago
  Maybe part of the plan, it's difficult to enforce hand luggage limitations at airports without adding extra checks, but if you exceed 10kg that overweight suitcase is going to make some drag on carpet. Small nudges, similarly how BA cabin crew are instructed to never help anyone put their luggage in the overhead bin unless they have a suitable reason.
  - r00fus 8y ago
    > BA cabin crew are instructed to never help anyone put their luggage in the overhead bin unless they have a suitable reason. Is this for real? Sucks, but I can imagine most fellow passengers pick up the slack... at least I've always helped others (and vice-versa) in the US.
    - sitepodmatt 8y ago
      It is, Ive witnessed cabin crew refuse or ignore multiple times, and clearly says so on their website too that passengers must be able to put luggage in the bins themselves. Makes sense to me, if you can't lift it then it's probably overweight and should of been checked in. Obviously I'm sure they'd make exceptions for unaccompanied children, height challenged people, injured, the very elderly, those with noted back issues, 1st class passengers maybe. Seems a reasonable policy, faster boarding, reduction in abuse, space for others, etc.. https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/baggage-essentials/hand-baggage-allowances https://www.britishairways.com/en-us/information/baggage-ess... It all about small nudges, disincentives to affect future behavior, back to the Singapore airside carpets. Others do pick up the slack indeed, and usually both ended up with a quick moan, whilst I really wanna comment you selfish .#*@ that suitcase is taking up half the bin, where do I put my bag, or good forbid you try put that 20kg on top of my small rugsack
    - wafflebear 8y ago
      It's for the safety of the cabin crew. If they had to help put people's heavy bags in the overheads on every flight, they would quickly get back injuries. It's fine for the passengers because they are not doing it often.
  - speeq 8y ago
    I mostly fly budget airlines so my hand luggage has to be lightweight, but the carpet at Changi is a minor inconvenience (especially when one is tired after a +13h flight) because my luggage practically rolls itself when you give it a nudge on an even surface!
Max_aaa 8y ago
And the variety of available food choices. Or the fact that the is a nice gym with a shower. It is one of the best airports I have ever seen.
ASalazarMX 8y ago
> efficent immigration A couple of years ago I had to take a connected flight where one of the stops was in USA. I was never going to leave the airport, yet I had to form in a line while immigration was doing the routine bottleneck check on dozens of travelers, while my flight time was getting dangerously close. We just had to suck it up, any complaining just brought additional delays. The check was fairly automated, I guess they just needed more agents, or less gratuitous revisions.
- chimeracoder 8y ago
  > A couple of years ago I had to take a connected flight where one of the stops was in USA. I was never going to leave the airport, yet I had to form in a line while immigration was doing the routine bottleneck check on dozens of travelers, while my flight time was getting dangerously close. We just had to suck it up, any complaining just brought additional delays. The check was fairly automated, I guess they just needed more agents, or less gratuitous revisions. I had this exact same experience with LHR (London Heathrow). I was never even trying to leave the airport, just make a connecting flight. Not only did they decide that having a single security lane open was sufficient, but they also (effectively) only let one person unload their bag into the trays at a time, for a max bus throughput of 1 person at a time. If you left anything in it - and I mean anything[0] - they pulled your bag and tray to the side, and you had to wait for one of two agents to inspect it. The wait time for that was about 10-15 minutes. At no point did anybody have any sense of urgency whatsoever with their work, despite all of us being there to make connecting flights. They shuffled back and forth between the body scanner, X-ray machine, and the break area, chatting with each other. I was seventh in line, and in all, the entire process took literally 30 minutes (I timed it). I was floored, because I've traveled around the world and never seen anything this bad. Even Heathrow security has never been that bad for me when taking off from London. There was an agent from our departing flight there to escort us, because we were holding the whole flight up. I asked her if this was typical or not, and she just rolled her eyes and laughed, "yeah, this is how it usually is". [0] One guy next to me had his back selected because he had left his eyeglasses inside his bag, in a plastic (not metal) case.
- dominotw 8y ago
  I had to do this in Abu Dhabi. The whole story is organized in an amerturish fashion. They were parading us around through various queques in the airport in groups of ppl landing on same plane. The whole thing was really bizzare and humiliating.

EGreg 8y ago

What astonishes me also is the baggage claim. I can literally take a few people’s suitcases circling around before they spot them, and leave!

blawson 8y ago
Even more amazing in airports like SFO where baggage claim is after security, such that anyone can wander in off the curb and pick up a bag. I think this is uniquely American though.
- nervousvarun 8y ago
  It's done this way in Canada as well. Source :): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailer_Park_Boys https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trailer_Park_Boys
- conanbatt 8y ago
  Have to remember though, that its just as easy to steal anything nobody is watching. It is not the incapacity to steal the only thing that stops stealing.
  - jacquesm 8y ago
    True, but when you're boarding the plane on the other end there is no sign that says 'remember, your bags will be left unattended in a public space upon arrival'. Schiphol does it about equally dumb where the baggage carousel is past the last security check and 10 meters from the public spaces. It would be trivial to take one or more bags that aren't yours and walk out.
    - EGreg 8y ago
      I have some ideas and a provisional patent on two things: 1) “Meet your baggage” a simple system that can be bolted on to most existing processes that lets you know which airport your luggage is at, where it is in the process, and when your luggage is coming out and on what carousel. So you can be standing by the chute expecting it. 2) A system for seats to recline starting from the back, letting people switch seats and pay $ and go to sleep in a comfortable reclining position, which I find is really crucial for a long flight and people are willing to pay for. If you’re interested and have some connections with the airline industry email me at greg+airline the at symbol qbix.com

bahularora 8y ago

India has the same system.

bfred_it 8y ago

I’m Changi Terminal 2 and I’m not seeing any tokens being exchanged. Are you sure that this was not airline-specific? Side note for the unaware: Singapore’s airport has screening at each and every gate instead of a joint one right after passport control.

wafflebear 8y ago
This was at Changi Terminal 3. The screening at the gate is annoying IMO, because you can't buy a drink to take on the plane. It's my only complaint about Changi.
- csomar 8y ago
  You can take drinks on the plane? I don't think it is a good idea.
  - wafflebear 8y ago
    Non-alcoholic drinks, sure. I usually buy a bottle of water at least, flight attendants are not always able to serve drinks, it helps to bring something with you.
bfred_it 8y ago
OP here. My bad. Apparently they only give the token when you leave your phone or computer, but not always.

weekay 8y ago

Not just Singapore , a lot of other airports do this as well ,as other comments have pointed out. This isn't the norm in the UK unfortunately. The reason boils down to staffing on the other end to check the token and to handover the tray. Token and staffing would mean added cost and liability - not something an outsourced security vendor or another government department agency would be willing to foot the bill for.

mdekkers 8y ago
To be fair, this is trivial to automate - barcode on the token, scan on the other side, conveyor belt pops out your trays.

seanmcdirmid 8y ago

I don’t remember them having that for airside transfers (from a few years ago anyways). Is that new?

dragonwriter 8y ago

> That other airports don't implement this system continues to astonish me. For the US airports where TSA directly provides airport security, this is probably mission-related. The TSA checkpoint’s mission is to make sure unauthorized people and objects don't get into the sterile section of the airport. Additional protocols to prevent theft are off mission, so resources aren't going to be devoted to identifying, establishing, and operating them.