After three and a half years of engineering and expansion works, Singapore’s Changi Airport has re-opened Terminal 2 (T2). The re-opening was achieved ahead of schedule, restoring four-terminal operations at Changi Airport. 16 airlines operate at T2 and the terminal has flights connecting to 40 cities.
It’s official! T2 reopens today, with new and magical attractions that’re waiting to be explored 🤩 We can’t wait to bring the magic of Changi to you through T2’s latest additions! Which one are you most excited to see? pic.twitter.com/S1xOWMoRxJ
— Changi Airport (@ChangiAirport) November 1, 2023
Already the world’s best
For the month of September 2023, passenger traffic at Changi Airport was about 90% of pre-Covid levels. The works add 5 million passengers per year to the hub’s capacity but, with the airport already voted the world’s best in the 2023 Skytrax Airport Awards, the result had to go above and beyond mere throughput, to create something special to complement the airport’s existing offer.
Designers responded to the challenge by allowing nature to guide them. Ceilings and walls imitate natural landforms and, the airport’s press release boasts, “elements of nature are seamlessly incorporated”. This includes “lush green columns” of planting, as well as a 14 metre high digital display in the departure area, referred to as “The Wonderfall” and portraying “a majestic waterfall cascading over megalithic boulders”. In the departure transit area, flyers will find a “Dreamscape” of plants and landscaping, brought alive by a ‘digital sky’ which changes hue with the time of day.
Fast and seamless, for everyone
On a practical note, more than 21,000 square metres have been added to the terminal building to support additional infrastructure and new systems, such as the doubling of automated check-in kiosks and bag drop machines which form part of a “central common-use Fast and Seamless Travel (FAST) zone.” In good news for flyers with additional support needs, automated Special Assistance Lanes have been put into place for persons with physical differences and young children.
From Funko Pop to K-Pop
The retail and hospitality offering too has benefitted, with a Funko pop pop-up; a robot bartender; and various international and regional restaurants from the Hard Rock Café to authentic Peranakan baked goods, and homegrown fragrances at Lynk among the mix.
Visitors to the luxurious lounge at the upper level, known as “the Forest of Li Bai” can also sample 18 whiskey choices from a wall of dispensers, take photos with famous K-pop artists in the smart selfie mirror, and create content with an LED video ceiling display.
Pushing boundaries
“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,” said Tan Lye Teck, Programme Director for the project. “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.”
The revamped terminal has already been awarded the BCA Universal Design Excellence Award for its design and user-friendliness, as well as the BCA Green Mark Platinum for incorporating sustainability features to ensure the highest level of environmental performance.
