S’pore Airshow - Worst transport experience’

[Kb27]

I, for one, would not go there. ph driver who's smart enough won't go there to get jammed, for hours, for $10, $20 ?

Grab keep promoting, high demand, but who's want to drive there for regular fare ? Even with surge, it's not enough to compensate your hours of waiting and crawling in the traffic, wasting petrol, time.

 

‘Worst transport experience’: Crawling traffic, long waits for rides frustrate S’pore Airshow visitors

SINGAPORE - Waiting almost three hours for a taxi ride from the Singapore Airshow to her hotel was not something that senior corporate executive Inga Duglas expected after attending the first day of the event on Feb 20.

When she eventually got into a taxi, her fare from Changi Exhibition Centre, where the air show is taking place till Feb 25, to central Singapore at 7.30pm came to $120, said Ms Duglas, expressing surprise that her ride was “so expensive”.

“I was hungry, thirsty and exhausted,” the 38-year-old told The Straits Times on the evening of Feb 21.

The 2024 edition of the biennial aerospace and defence exhibition has been drawing complaints about heavy traffic in and out of the showground, with some visitors telling ST that traffic arrangements were poorly organised.

The first four days of the air show, from Feb 20 to 23, are for trade attendees. The air show is open to the public on the last two days, on Feb 24 and 25.

Ms Duglas was among 23 trade visitors and exhibitors interviewed by ST about their experience getting into and out of the showground.

Some said they had to endure several kilometres of crawling traffic into the exhibition centre due to reduced access to Aviation Park Road and Tanah Merah Coast Road, and were unable to secure private-hire car and taxi rides to and from Changi Exhibition Centre.

Others spoke of the sky-high fares for these rides, and long queues for the air show shuttle, which plies between Singapore Expo and the exhibition centre.

Visitors have to pay a location surcharge of $15, on top of the metered fare, for taxi services leaving Changi Exhibition Centre until Feb 25.

Commercial executive Stanley Raj, 45, said it was the “worst transportation experience” he has encountered, when compared with other air shows he has visited, including the Paris Air Show in June 2023 and the Dubai Airshow in November 2023.

To exit the showground on Feb 21 at around 5pm, Mr Raj waited more than 35 minutes for his private-hire car ride.

That morning, his ride to the exhibition centre was stuck in a 45-minute jam because of lane closures and security checkpoints.

 

Ms Jayne Low, who is part of an exhibitor’s team that drove to the air show, said she was caught in traffic for about 20 minutes at around 9am on Feb 21.

This was because officers slowed traffic down significantly by checking the identities of all passengers in each vehicle with a parking label, said the managing director in her 40s.

Ms Low, who has attended several editions of the Singapore Airshow, added: “It is the same thing for every edition... If they can manage (vehicular) traffic for Coldplay fans, they can surely do this for the air show.”

ST reporters heading to the show experienced several instances of private-hire car drivers cancelling their rides to the exhibition centre on Feb 21 and 22.

Part-time private-hire car driver George Liow, 37, said most drivers would not travel to the venue for a single fare, as they would need to navigate the jam and detours.

He added: “Who in their right mind would come in all the way to the venue to pick someone up for a small sum of money?”

[Sosaria]

Ask grab management themselves come and drive, see he want the biz or not

Compensate for half a day's loss of income, plus fare - maybe some drivers may consider.

Otherwise no point waste time and burn fuel in the queue.

[Watwheels]

You mean this is new?

"Ms Low, who has attended several editions of the Singapore Airshow, added: “It is the same thing for every edition."

Who are the organisers? Self pat to their own backs somemore. Another "world-class", wo ya boh?

Experia Events Pte Ltd has a proven track record in organising and managing conferences, exhibitions and related activities that are of strategic national interest. Experia also manages the Changi Exhibition Centre (CEC), a world-class multi-dimensional facility built on a sprawling 30-hectare seafront site.

 

Better still, who is the newly minted Transpork Minister, ask him? Since his predecessors never bother to do anything about it. With some kept mentioning we have a "world-class transpork system"? It's just that it never reaches that corner of Singapore. Giving regular similar reasons such as "no demand".

Very weird right? Seeing foreign visitors talk so much about no welfare (no food and water, lousy transpork management). Doesnt quite sound like Singapore.

[inlinesix]

On 2/23/2024 at 8:31 AM, Watwheels said:

You mean this is new?

"Ms Low, who has attended several editions of the Singapore Airshow, added: “It is the same thing for every edition."

Who are the organisers? Self pat to their own backs somemore. Another "world-class", wo ya boh?

Experia Events Pte Ltd has a proven track record in organising and managing conferences, exhibitions and related activities that are of strategic national interest. Experia also manages the Changi Exhibition Centre (CEC), a world-class multi-dimensional facility built on a sprawling 30-hectare seafront site.

 

Better still, who is the newly minted Transpork Minister, ask him? Since his predecessors never bother to do anything about it. With some kept mentioning we have a "world-class transpork system"? It's just that it never reaches that corner of Singapore. Giving regular similar reasons such as "no demand".

Very weird right? Seeing foreign visitors talk so much about no welfare (no food and water, lousy transpork management). Doesnt quite sound like Singapore.

Isn’t that exhibition organizer problem?

[limpeh6969]

limpeh is not familiar with changi exhibition centre but google maps show how close it is to changi airport

why is it so difficult to:

- arrange free shuttle to n fro changi airport? from there can easily take mrt, bus, taxi, or grab for sure  sorry, actually shuttle buses provided, but looks like not enough

- link CEC to changi airport ah? covered walkway/underpass should not be too expensive rite?

but this is only if one is serious about providing extra service to the exhibitors/visitors lor. one can always argue that all these ppl can/should arrange their own transport beforehand 

Edited February 23 by limpeh6969

[Volvobrick]

On 2/23/2024 at 8:31 AM, Watwheels said:

You mean this is new?

"Ms Low, who has attended several editions of the Singapore Airshow, added: “It is the same thing for every edition."

Who are the organisers? Self pat to their own backs somemore. Another "world-class", wo ya boh?

Experia Events Pte Ltd has a proven track record in organising and managing conferences, exhibitions and related activities that are of strategic national interest. Experia also manages the Changi Exhibition Centre (CEC), a world-class multi-dimensional facility built on a sprawling 30-hectare seafront site.

 

Better still, who is the newly minted Transpork Minister, ask him? Since his predecessors never bother to do anything about it. With some kept mentioning we have a "world-class transpork system"? It's just that it never reaches that corner of Singapore. Giving regular similar reasons such as "no demand".

Very weird right? Seeing foreign visitors talk so much about no welfare (no food and water, lousy transpork management). Doesnt quite sound like Singapore.

Over zealous security arrangements/ checks. Anyway irrelevant to most people who don't go there. 

[Ahwhye]

On 2/23/2024 at 8:58 AM, Volvobrick said:

Over zealous security arrangements/ checks. Anyway irrelevant to most people who don't go there. 

hahaha whatever security checks is typically done according what the organiser want or deem necessary, they pay for what they get, or maybe didn't pay enough to handle the actual traffic, just compare with music concerts, a cursory bag check and quick scan, can move on liao....

[Vratenza]

PAP solution to this?

Erect temporary ERPs leading to changi coast road lor....$100 per pop.😁

[Unfazed]

A world-class event as such is never an organiser problem but G problem.

Jin easy to see one one lah.

Who calls the shot so difficult to comprehend meh?

Take taxi 15 bucks surcharge not including metered charge.

Want the cheaper option, take bus 15 bucks.

Me got trade visitor pass but heard the bus shuttle charge 15 bucks and heard the jam, I give back say "No Thanks".

Felt like a sucker. But I'm happy to hear all these negative real reviews right form horse's mouth because we have been patting ourselves and hearing the self praises good things for far too long. 

Edited February 23 by Unfazed

[Tianmo]

the ang moh char bor said she paid $120 for her trip from changi to central area wor, thats like maybe 6x-7x the normal fare? 

[Kopites]

On 2/23/2024 at 10:10 AM, Vratenza said:

PAP solution to this?

Erect temporary ERPs leading to changi coast road lor....$100 per pop.😁

Transport minister jurisdiction. Failed to manage the traffic flow. 😁

 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/mrt-cross-island-line-aviation-park-construction-2299106

LTA oversee the aviation park project. 😁

Edited February 23 by Kopites

[Tianmo]

MOT is really la sup many many. 

[inlinesix]

On 2/23/2024 at 10:13 AM, Tianmo said:

the ang moh char bor said she paid $120 for her trip from changi to central area wor, thats like maybe 6x-7x the normal fare? 

Camp there whole day and do 3 jobs can go home liao

😂

[Maxus-MIFA9]

On 2/23/2024 at 8:35 AM, inlinesix said:

Isn’t that exhibition organizer problem?

Over zealous security clearance & multiple checks. 

Since it's organised for companies, should have arrange special buses at multiple pickup points from big car parks to airshow and back.  Car park at Changi Village, Singapore Expo or better still, Singapore Changi Airport Terminals (4 terminals) car parks. 

Organiser only wants to earn monies, how you come & go is your problems.... 

[Tianmo]

On 2/23/2024 at 10:27 AM, Picnic06-Biante15 said:

Over zealous security clearance & multiple checks. 

Since it's organised for companies, should have arrange special buses at multiple pickup points from big car parks to airshow and back.  Car park at Changi Village, Singapore Expo or better still, Singapore Changi Airport Terminals (4 terminals) car parks. 

Organiser only wants to earn monies, how you come & go is your problems.... 

Limbey is SG airshow you know? You no cum, others want to cum, ai tio lai, mai tio go hong kan. 

[inlinesix]

On 2/23/2024 at 10:27 AM, Picnic06-Biante15 said:

Over zealous security clearance & multiple checks. 

Since it's organised for companies, should have arrange special buses at multiple pickup points from big car parks to airshow and back.  Car park at Changi Village, Singapore Expo or better still, Singapore Changi Airport Terminals (4 terminals) car parks. 

Organiser only wants to earn monies, how you come & go is your problems.... 

As long as Corp participants don't complain, ok what.

😂

 

[Kopites]

On 2/23/2024 at 10:27 AM, Picnic06-Biante15 said:

Over zealous security clearance & multiple checks. 

Since it's organised for companies, should have arrange special buses at multiple pickup points from big car parks to airshow and back.  Car park at Changi Village, Singapore Expo or better still, Singapore Changi Airport Terminals (4 terminals) car parks. 

Organiser only wants to earn monies, how you come & go is your problems.... 

All construction mrt/land reclaim projects temporary ceased operation during airshow. No chance for civilian vehicle to drive near. 😁

 

Edited February 23 by Kopites

[Vratenza]

On 2/23/2024 at 10:13 AM, Tianmo said:

the ang moh char bor said she paid $120 for her trip from changi to central area wor, thats like maybe 6x-7x the normal fare? 

no worries, submit for company transport/convention claims