After three and a half years of expansion works, Terminal 2 (T2) has fully reopened, restoring four-terminal operations at Singapore’s Changi Airport.
T2’s completion – ahead of schedule – was needed to meet capacity requirements, in anticipation of full travel recovery to pre-Covid levels in 2024. The expansion has added five million passengers per annum (mppa) to Changi’s capacity, bringing the airport’s total handling capacity to 90 mppa.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, said: “The T2 expansion project started in January 2020, two months before Singapore closed its borders because of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, no one knew how severe the pandemic would be, or how long it would last. But Changi Airport Group (CAG) 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 Dreamscape's digital sky changes according to the time of day
Immersive experiences
T2’s design philosophy is guided by a nature-inspired theme. From ceiling designs to wall finishes mimicking natural landforms to the choice of carpet patterns and horticulture displays, elements of nature have been incorporated throughout the terminal. Columns of plants have been designed to help create a soothing atmosphere.
At the heart of T2’s departure hall is a 14m-tall digital display, The Wonderfall, set amid a vertical garden.
Inside the departure transit area, a brand-new garden – Dreamscape – features a meticulously landscaped backdrop, brought alive by a ‘digital sky’ which changes its hues depending on the time of day.
The T2 expansion project has added more than 21,000m2 to the terminal building, to support additional infrastructure, new systems, and more retail offerings. With a central common-use Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) zone, the number of automated check-in kiosks and bag-drop machines has almost doubled. The immigration halls have been expanded to support additional automated immigration lanes.
Lotte's Forest of Li Bai is a luxurious lounge in T2's upper level
T2 is also the first terminal in Changi to have automated Special Assistance Lanes for travellers with disabilities and young children at both arrival and departure immigration. A new early baggage storage system has also been installed. Fully automated, it has the capacity to handle up to 2,400 bags.
Tan Lye Teck, CAG’s programme director for the Terminal 2 Expansion Project, said, “With T2, we sought to enhance the passenger experience, bringing together a modern terminal inspired by nature, with immersive digital experiences and 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.”
Images: Changi Airport Group
