Woman breaks leg while going down slide at Changi Airport

[UPDATED, Nov 11]

The Changi Airport Group (CAG), in response to AsiaOne’s queries, said that they are aware of the slide incident and regret hearing about the woman’s experience.

They reiterated safety as a top priority and urge users to take note of the safety guidelines displayed at the slide.

“These guidelines include instructions on correct positioning, the importance of wearing covered shoes, and recommendations to avoid loose items and skirts when using the slide. We encourage all passengers to read and follow these guidelines closely,” said a CAG spokesperson.

CAG wishes the passenger a speedy recovery and hopes to welcome her back to Changi Airport again.

She wanted to give the popular attraction a try but ended up with a broken leg after riding down the tube slide at Changi Airport's Terminal 4.

The incident happened on Monday (Nov 4) night, shortly before the 23-year-old finance executive was supposed to fly home.

The Malaysian woman, only wanting to be known as Z, uploaded a video documenting the incident to Xiaohongshu.

Speaking to AsiaOne on Wednesday, Z shared that she was travelling home with her friends after a three-day holiday in Singapore. Having reached the airport early, they decided to kill some time at the tube slide before their 8.55pm flight.

In her video, she recounted her "very fun" experience riding the slide for the first time, though she was wary about the dangerous turns. She noted that she encountered significant friction while going down the slide at a high speed.

Despite that, she decided to ride the slide again. That was when she heard her bones crack.

Z said she screamed for help upon reaching the end of the slide but there were "no staff within the vicinity".

According to her, it took 15 minutes for airport staff to bring a wheelchair after her friends went to look for help. Another 15 minutes passed when they arrived with ice, and then another 15 minutes before a doctor arrived with painkillers.

She only reached Changi General Hospital at around 9.30 pm, an hour after the incident.

A doctor told Z that two bones in her foot were fractured, adding that it wasn't the first time someone had gotten injured after using the slide at Changi Airport. 

Medical costs about $12,000

The woman said she had to take painkillers and have an analgesic injection.

Z told AsiaOne that she has since returned home and had a consultation with her doctor in Malaysia. She has a surgery scheduled on Thursday with an estimated cost of 40,000 ringgit (S$12,000).

"[Changi Airport staff] did not take note of my contact number so they wouldn't have a way to contact me or responsible for my incident," she said.

"When the incident happened, in front of the ambulance, Changi Airport staff informed me to book my own flight after I recover."

Z added that she has given her feedback through Changi Airport's website on Wednesday and is waiting on a response after providing her flight details.

By sharing her experience, she hopes it can serve as a warning to others visiting Changi Airport, and hopes that no one else will suffer similar injuries.

AsiaOne has contacted Changi Airport Group for more information.

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dana.leong@asiaone.com