SINGAPORE — The police have warned against the use of boarding passes to enter transit areas at Changi Airport with no intention of travelling — instead using the time in these areas to meet friends or catch a glimpse of their favourite celebrities.

The transit areas of Changi Airport are gazetted as Protected Places. There have been nine cases of misuse of boarding passes reported so far this year, and 13 people have been arrested in connection with offences under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act, the police said in an advisory posted on Facebook today (Sept 27).

“Police would like to remind all passengers who enter the transit hall with a boarding pass (that they) should only be there for the purpose of travelling to their next destinations. Those who abuse their boarding pass to enter the transit areas to meet friends and/or celebrities, with no intention to proceed to their next destination, (could be charged for) an offence under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act.” 

Offenders face a fine of S$1,000, up to two years’ jail, or both. TODAY understands no one has been charged in such cases.

Fan clubs TODAY spoke to said they generally avoid breaking rules while they try to catch sight of their favourite actors or sports stars. 

Mr Tommy Low, 42, chairman of Singapore Everton Supporters’ Club, said while the club does not set rules on members’ behaviour, they avoid stalking players. When the Everton team was here in July, “the most fans did was to also wait at the hotel lobby area till past midnight”, he said, adding members would avoid breaking the law. 

Ms Peh Xin Yi, 28, president of RBKD, the fan club for actress Rui En, said the club “strongly discourages” members from abusing boarding passes to enter the transit area just to meet their idol. “Usually, we just send her off at the departure gates and even for this, we would have checked if she is all right with it as sometimes her flight is at an ungodly hour and she does not want us to be there,” she said. 

She added that she has seen pictures of fans with Rui En in transit areas, but they could have bumped into her by chance. “I believe that our  members know that they shouldn’t be doing this ... we also try to spread this message through social media,” she said. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY NG JING YNG