SINGAPORE. Changi Airport has today officially opened the northern wing of Terminal 2, which features an expanded commercial space and increases the airport’s handling capacity.
The project, which took three-and-a-half years to complete, is timely as air travel in the Singapore hub continues to pick up after two years of pandemic-related closures.
The commencement of operations in the northern wing follows the reopening of the T2 southern wing arrivals area in May 2022 and departures in October of the same year.
Changi’s overall capacity now stands at 90 million passengers per annum (mppa). T2’s handling capacity has increased by 5 mppa to 28 mppa.
Changi Airport’s passenger traffic in August reached about 87% of pre-pandemic levels.
New shops and concepts in F&B and retail
The T2 northern wing expands Changi Airport’s already-extensive retail and F&B portfolio. Eight in ten F&B and retail concepts are now available in both the public and transit areas at T2, while the full suite of T2 attractions, stores and restaurants will be gradually unveiled in the coming weeks.
The airport will organise an event to celebrate the full reopening of T2 in early November.
The public areas of T2 have welcomed several new-to-Changi brands, both local and international.
Among these is Singaporean dim sum restaurant Swee Choon, which will launch its Hong Kong milk tea gelato at Changi Airport. The gelato is developed in collaboration with local ice cream café Creamier.
Indonesian brand Kenangan Coffee is famous for its high-quality yet affordable coffee as well as its wide selection of beverages. It offers its signature specialty, the Kenangan Latte, which blends espresso and gula aren, a natural sweetener.
Another name making its Changi debut is premium tea brand Chagee, which offers a specially curated selection of milk and fruit teas.
Familiar brands making their return to T2’s public areas include bakery Paris Baguette, with a digital concept store, and traditional Chinese medicine retailer, Eu Yan Sang.
In addition, the wing houses the lush Gourmet Garden, a dining area offering a stunning panoramic view of the apron. Located here are vendors offering quick bites including GoPizza, coffee house Hudsons, smoothie stand Boost Juice and Dunkin’. More new-to-Changi brands such as Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu and Chef Wei HK Cheong Fun add to the list of Asian food concepts in the expanded terminal.
Retail brands in the wing include luxury Italian jeweller Pomellato and Old Seng Choong, which specialises in heritage recipes and nostalgic baked goods.
More space to serve passengers better
The T2 expansion project has added 15,500 sq m to the terminal building to support additional infrastructure, new systems and more retail offerings.
The departure hall now houses a suite of self-service options for departing passengers at the Fast and Seamless Travel zone. It is equipped with automated check-in kiosks and bag drop machines, while the immigration halls have been expanded to support additional automated immigration lanes.
T2 is the first terminal in Changi to have automated Special Assistance Lanes at both arrival and departure immigration.
The terminal’s critical systems and building equipment, which had reached end of life, have been upgraded to more efficient models. Also featured is a chiller plant that delivers cooling at -30% lower energy consumption.
At the baggage claim hall, two existing baggage belts have been extended to accommodate a higher volume of bags to cater to wide-body aircraft. The terminal’s baggage-handling system has enhanced security features, and its early baggage storage system has been upgraded from semi-automated to fully automated.
This advanced baggage technology enables some 2,400 bags to be stored at any time, significantly improving manpower productivity.
Inspired by natural elements, T2’s design incorporates natural materials in its wall cladding and flooring, complemented by lush green columns showcasing a distinctive array of plants.
Changi Airport Group Programme Director for the Terminal 2 Expansion Project Tan Lye said: “We extend our deep gratitude to the Ministry of Transport, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, as well as other agencies and partners for their support toward the T2 Expansion Project.
“We also greatly appreciate the entire airport community for their close collaboration and steadfast partnership. We commit to delivering exceptional customer service and look forward to taking the passenger experience to new heights with the refreshed T2.”
Airlines operating at T2
Changi Airport has continued to see a growing number of passengers since May 2022, with 8.7 million passenger movements served by 12 airlines.
Effective today, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines (flights to Southeast Asia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka), and Swiss will begin operating from the northern wing of T2.
Singapore Airlines’ First Class check-in reception and the SATS Premier check-in lounge have also opened in the terminal.
More airlines will move to T2 in October including Air Japan, All Nippon Airways, Etihad, Indigo and Singapore Airlines’ flights to Maldives and Nepal, bringing the total number of airlines operating at T2 to 16.
New amenities at T2
Offering a leisure space for children, 2 Bears Hideout is now open, featuring a wide play area.
A TV lounge is equipped with a large LED screen for passengers to enjoy live sports and other TV shows. The space includes comfortable plush seating and multiple charging points, including wireless charging pods.
More lounges are also now available including the DBS Private Access Lounge, KrisFlyer Gold Lounge, SATS Premier Lounge and SilverKris Lounge. The Ambassador Transit Hotel and Lounge, as well as the Connect at Changi lounge (a space for the business community to network), are also available in transit. 
