Ever considered volunteering at Changi Airport? Gary Gan shares his experiences as a service ambassador, describing the joy of helping travelers, the support from his family, memorable encounters, and the importance of passion and volunteering, emphasising the mutual benefits it brings.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00We received good feedback from some travellers
00:03and they made this comment to me.
00:06They said,
00:08you are the best.
00:09You are so helpful.
00:10I came from this so-and-so place.
00:12The people there are not friendly.
00:18Hello, I'm Gary Gan.
00:20I'm a 72-year-old grandfather of four.
00:25I've been a volunteer with Changi Airport Group
00:28as a Changi Service Ambassador since 2016.
00:35I'm scheduled once a week
00:37on a Tuesday afternoon shift
00:39from 3pm to 7pm.
00:43Our reporting time is 2.30pm.
00:46So after lunch, we go for the briefing.
00:51Then we start our shift at 3pm.
00:53Nice to see you.
00:57My main duty is
01:00wayfinding for passengers.
01:04I find satisfaction
01:07to be able to help them to locate
01:12their boarding gates.
01:19Hello.
01:19Yes, may I help you?
01:21Oh, smoking room?
01:23Can you follow the sign?
01:24You see the blue sign?
01:25Arrow sign?
01:26This way.
01:27Over there.
01:29At the corner.
01:30Yeah?
01:32Yes, may I help you?
01:35Yeah, this is Terminal 3.
01:36Thank God.
01:37So 504?
01:38So gate A2?
01:39This way.
01:41Yeah, you just have to wait there.
01:42But you still got plenty of time.
01:43We can walk around.
01:45Oh, it's too early, sir.
01:46Yeah, that's what we thought.
01:48Not that we want to get on the flight yet.
01:50Enjoy Changi first.
01:52Oh, you want to get your luggage
01:53you have to go down to the immigration.
01:56Okay.
01:56Yeah, go through immigration.
01:58Then you go to collect your luggage.
02:00My family is very supportive of my
02:04volunteering activities.
02:05Even my wife joins me.
02:09She also comes on duty with me
02:13once a week at Changi Airport.
02:15So, but we do date on the bus.
02:19We come together and go home together.
02:23May I help you?
02:24You go to gate B.
02:25You go that way.
02:27It's not out yet.
02:29The information is not out yet.
02:30Ah, just walk straight to the end.
02:33It's called Transfer B.
02:34You go upstairs.
02:35It's the same terminal.
02:37Oh, okay.
02:38Yeah, terminal.
02:39Yes, yes, may I help you?
02:41What is it?
02:42What is the B5 for flying to Shanghai?
02:45What is this?
02:47Huh?
02:48Ah.
02:49It's a new gate.
02:50Sometimes we have peak hours.
02:52They come all together to
02:54find where are their gates,
02:56what time is their flight,
02:57whether there's any delay,
02:59or change your gate number.
03:00Sometimes they change from A to B
03:03or from one terminal to another terminal.
03:06So, we have to direct them to the right places.
03:09As you can see,
03:10they have to check gate open,
03:13some boarding, last call.
03:15Huh?
03:16Yeah, so we have to tell them
03:18if it's last call, they really have to rush.
03:21Huh?
03:22Sometimes I introduce them to
03:23free Singapore tour over there
03:26because they have more than five hours.
03:27Sometimes early next morning,
03:29then they fly off.
03:31Yeah, interestingly,
03:32there were these three China nationals.
03:36I helped them while they were on their transit
03:39to Bali.
03:41And then, on their way back,
03:43one week later, I was on duty again.
03:45And they recognised me
03:47and they came to thank me.
03:48Oh, you are the one who helped us, you know.
03:51They were so happy to see me again.
03:53Sir, 406.
03:55SQ406.
03:56SQ406, uh...
03:59315.
04:00A4.
04:01This way.
04:02Yeah, because they share the same plane, yeah.
04:06Yeah?
04:10406 here, A4.
04:12A4, just wait here.
04:14Huh?
04:14You are too early, man.
04:16Your boarding time is 11am.
04:19Yeah, there's no information yet.
04:21B2 is over there, at the end.
04:24All the way at the end.
04:25Until after 9pm.
04:27Yeah, after 9pm.
04:29I myself am a traveller sometimes, you know.
04:32So when I go to other countries,
04:33I also need help because of language.
04:38It's good to help other people when they are here.
04:43You get it?
04:45Yeah, after 6pm.
04:47Okay, thank you.
04:49Especially when we are volunteers,
04:50we can contribute something to help these people.
04:55Oh, for the butterfly garden.
04:59It makes them feel good.
05:01It makes us feel good.
05:02So it's a win-win situation.
05:08Oh, you are too early.
05:10Yeah, buy it in the right terminal.
05:12Yeah, your boarding time is 9.30pm.
05:16So the information won't be out so soon.
05:19Check after 6pm.
05:20But in the meantime, you can...
05:22Have you been to the butterfly garden?
05:25To me, there's no age limit in volunteering.
05:28Age is just a number.
05:31Oftentimes, I encourage younger people,
05:34even students, to volunteer their time
05:37in doing voluntary work.
05:39We can do many, many things.
05:42It's just whether we have the passion for it.
05:46Well, I derive satisfaction
05:49from the smiles from other people.
05:52When they are happy
05:56and they thank you with a big smile,
05:58that's good enough for me.