SIA flight delayed nearly 4 hours after being diverted to Paya Lebar Airbase due to air congestion

A Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight from Hong Kong to Singapore was delayed on Thursday evening (Nov 15), after being diverted to Paya Lebar Airbase due to air traffic congestion at Changi Airport.

Flight SQ861 landed at Changi Airport at 11.35pm, almost four hours after its scheduled 7.45pm.

Stomper Clarence, a passenger onboard the flight, alerted Stomp to the incident at 8.06pm.

He said: "SQ861 landed at Paya Lebar Airbase and I am inside the plane.

"Initially, I was confused when the captain said we were landing here.

"Some passengers started taking their luggage from the overhead compartment because they thought we were disembarking at Paya Lebar Airbase.

"Upon landing, I WhatsApped my wife to inform her.

"During that time, Changi Airport only listed the scheduled landing time but there was no status update about the delay.

"My wife called the airline but they did not not know what happened. She then called Changi Airport who informed her of an air traffic congestion."

At 10.21pm, Clarence informed Stomp that he was "still here" and added: "We were told that there was air traffic congestion at Changi Airport.

"The captain said that other flights were delayed and had landed at Paya Lebar Airbase too."

Clarence said the plane started taking off for Changi Airport at 10.47pm and shared a photo showing how it displayed "Singapore to Singapore on the screen".

Clarence told Stomp at 11.28pm that he had landed at Changi Airport.

In response to a Stomp query, an SIA spokesman said: "Singapore Airlines flight SQ861 from Hong Kong bound for Singapore on Nov 15, was diverted to Paya Lebar Airbase due to air traffic congestion at Changi Airport.

"SQ861 arrived at Paya Lebar Airbase on Nov 15 at 8.14pm.

"While on ground, drinks were served to all customers on board."

The flight later departed Paya Lebar Airbase at 10.49pm and arrived at Changi Airport at 11.35pm, added the spokesman.