Singapore’s Changi Airport has fully reopened Terminal 2 following a near four-year expansion project aimed at enhancing the customer experience while boosting the airport’s total handling capacity from 85 million to 90 million passengers per annum.
In a statement, Singapore’s Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Teo Chee Hean, said the full reopening was timely given expectations that Changi would soon complete full recovery to pre-COVID levels. Capacity reached around 90% in September.
“The T2 expansion project started in January 2020, two months before Singapore closed its borders because of the COCID-19 pandemic,” Teo said.
“At the time, no one knew how severe the pandemic would be, or how long it would last. But Changi Airport Group pushed ahead with the T2 expansion, driven by the conviction that our Changi air hub would not only recover from the pandemic, but emerge stronger.”
The new Terminal 2 is 21,000 square meters larger than previously, with additional infrastructure including double the amount of automated check-in kiosks and bag drop machines, and expanded immigration halls. A new early baggage storage system has been installed that is fully automated with the capacity to handle up to 2,400 bags.
There have also been significant changes to the design, which features a nature-inspired theme with key touchpoints being transformed within the terminal. These include a 14-metre-tall digital display, dubbed The Wonderfall, set amid a vertical garden in the departure hall. Retail and F&B options have also been enhanced.
Tan Lye Teck, Changi Airport Group’s Programme Director for the Terminal 2 Expansion Project, said, “Changi Airport has always been pushing the boundaries of airport service and innovation, while staying ahead of the latest trends in digital as well as retail and dining offerings. With T2, we sought to enhance the passenger experience, bringing together a modern terminal inspired by nature, with immersive digital experiences, innovative technology, as well as transformative retail and dining concepts that create a sense of place.
“This expansion project augments Changi’s handling capacity, allowing us to serve more passengers in the years ahead. We hope T2 will set a new benchmark for customer service and delight among airports. And we hope every user will find great pleasure and discover wonder whenever they travel through T2.”
Changi handled a record 68.3 million passengers in 2019.
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