Singapore’s Changi Airport has fully opened Terminal 2 (T2) which features new attractions such as a digital waterfall and garden.
The expansion of T2 – first started in January 2020 – fully restores the four-terminal operations at Changi Airport to meet the capacity requirements in anticipation of full travel recovery to pre-pandemic levels in 2024. With an additional space of 21,000 square meters, the terminal features a central common-use Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) zone, and double the number of check-in kiosks and bag drop machines. The immigration halls have also been expanded to support automated lanes.
In addition, T2 is also the first terminal at Changi Airport to have automated Special Assistance Lanes for persons with disabilities and young children at both arrival and departure immigration areas. A new fully automated early baggage storage system has also been installed that can handle 2,400 bags.
The project has added 5 million passengers per year to the airport’s capacity, bringing the total handling capacity to 90 million per year.
During the opening ceremony of the T2 Expansion, Teo Chee Hean, Singapore’s 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.”
Nature and Immersive Attractions
Along with the added capacity and space, the expanded T2 also features a nature-inspired theme with more retail and food & beverage stores within both the public and transit areas.
In its release, Changi Airport highlighted two new added attractions at T2. The first is “The Wonderfall” – a 14-meter digital display in the departure hall that emulates a waterfall. The second – named the “Dreamscape” – features a garden with a “digital sky” which changes its hues depending on the time of the day.
“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.” said Tan Lye Teck, Program Director for the T2 Expansion, Changi Airport Group. “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.”
Since May 2022, close to 10 million passengers have been served at T2 when the terminal’s south wing reopened. At present 16 airlines operates flights to 40 cities from T2 including Singapore Airlines’ flights to Manila and Cebu.
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