SINGAPORE – Customer service officer Feroz Khan was going about his duty around midnight at Changi Airport Terminal 1 on Sept 23 last year when he spotted a man who was struggling to breathe.

He immediately went to check on the lone traveller and alerted his colleagues for help.

It turned out that the man was suffering from a heart attack. He was promptly sent to hospital, and airport staff worked through the night, for almost 15 hours, to identify and contact his next-of-kin.

The man, whose identity was not disclosed, eventually recovered.

For their work, Mr Feroz and six of his colleagues were awarded the top All-Star Service Team of the Year award at Changi Airport’s annual celebrationat Resorts World Sentosa on Monday evening (March 4).

Twenty-five awards that recognised inspiring acts by service staff were given out at the ceremony.

Paying tribute to airport staff, Changi Airport Group chief executive officer Lee Seow Hiang said the workers were key to Changi’s success. He added that the airport could be in line to set a new record.

“It gives me great pleasure to announce that for the first time in Changi’s history, we stand a good chance of winning two top awards in the aviation sector – the ASQ Survey and Skytrax World’s Best Airport Award,” said Mr Lee.

“For the ASQ survey, Changi scored a record high of 4.997, a record high score for Changi and an outstanding achievement.”

Changi Airport has bagged Skytrax’s best airport title for the past six years.

Mr Lee said that Changi had received 45,000 compliments from passengers in the last year.

He also said Mr Feroz and his six colleagues had demonstrated exemplary teamwork and went beyond the call of duty.

After the man was sent to hospital, the staff had combed social media pages, contacted a foreign embassy and called the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore in a desperate attempt to find his family.

Mr Josell Roland Racpan Lat, a Changi experience executive, eventually managed to contact the man’s brother.

“I am surprised to get the award, and I am also thankful that we were able to help save someone’s life,” said Mr Josell.

Winners of other awards include trolley service officer Lee Yong Foo, 81.

He won the outstanding custodial staff (silver) award for his role in stopping a potential theft in May last year. He had spotted a man behaving suspiciously after picking up a wallet, and alerted the rightful owner to the incident.

Mr Lee said: “I am very happy. I am already so old, but I still managed to get an award.”

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