Changi Airport T2 reopens fully after major upgrade, features 4-storey digital waterfall display

SINGAPORE — Changi Airport Terminal 2 is fully reopened to passengers from Wednesday (1 November), following three and a half years of extensive upgrade work.

The upgraded terminal, which has added over 21,000 square metres to the existing building - equivalent to the size of three football fields - enhances the international airport's capability to handle increased passenger traffic, according to the Changi Airport Group (CAG).

Boosting capacity and welcoming a surge in passenger traffic

Terminal 2 will also host operations for 16 airlines, connecting flights to 40 different cities.

CAG said the expansion is expected to add five million passengers per annum to Changi Airport's overall capacity, with the airport's total capacity across all four terminals reaching 90 million passengers per annum.

The reopening of Terminal 2 coincides with the resurgence of passenger traffic at Changi Airport, which rebounded to 90 per cent of pre-COVID levels as of September. It is anticipated that passenger volumes will fully recover by next year.

This expansion project was initiated in January 2020, just two months before Singapore closed its borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the initial closure plan was for an 18-month suspension of operations, arrival operations in the south wing only resumed in May 2022 due to delays caused by the pandemic, and departure operations commenced in October 2022.

Automated convenience, digital waterfalls

The revamped Terminal 2 boasts a central common-use Fast and Seamless Travel zone, with almost twice the number of automated check-in kiosks and bag-drop machines compared to its original setup. The immigration halls have also been expanded to accommodate more automated immigration lanes.

Terminal 2 is the first Changi terminal to introduce automated Special Assistance Lanes for travellers with disabilities and young children at arrival and departure immigration points. A fully-automated early-baggage storage system has also been installed, capable of handling up to 2,400 bags.

Passengers can also enjoy "'The Wonderfall", a multimedia digital waterfall display at the departure hall that stands at four stories and 14 metres high, complemented by a landscaped garden.

A new garden oasis and refreshed tenant mix

In the departure transit area after immigration, a new garden called "Dreamscape" combines digital content, live plants and even fish. It is set against a digital ceiling that emulates the airport's real-time weather conditions.

Among the refreshed tenant mix in the public areas of Terminal 2 is Funko, a retailer of pop culture collectibles. Its pop-up store - Southeast Asia's first - will stock figurines of the Merlion.

The transit area is also home to a newly-opened, double-storey Lotte Duty-Free Wines & Spirits, featuring a robot bartender named Toni and an upper-level lounge for visitors to sample whiskey.

Aviation sector's role in Singapore's economy

During the opening ceremony on Wednesday, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Teo Chee Hean, emphasised the aviation sector's key pillar in Singapore's economy.

According to CNA, he said, "Pre-COVID, the Changi air hub and its adjacent industries contributed over 5 per cent of Singapore’s GDP and supported almost 200,000 jobs."

He also stressed the importance of preparing for future growth in air travel, highlighting the ongoing construction of Terminal 5, which is expected to add around 50 million passengers annually to Changi's capacity when ready in the mid-2030s, reinforcing Singapore's status as a premier air hub.

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