Singapore Changi Airport's T2 to Open to Travelers

DALLAS - Singapore Changi Airport's (SIN) Terminal 2 (T2) will resume operations on May 29. This first phase of the terminal’s reopening will help the airport meet the expected increase in passenger traffic in the months ahead.

T2 has been closed for an upgrade since May 2020. When completed in 2024, the terminal will have a capacity of 28 million passenger movements per year—five million more than its previous capacity.

Phase One Opening

According to the group that runs the facility, this first phase of reopening includes refurbished arrival immigration, baggage claim belts, and contact gates at the southern wing of the terminal. T2 will be used mostly for peak-hour arrival flights of airlines operating in Terminal 3 (T3). However, some T3 departing flights may use the boarding gates at T2 even while passengers on the flights will continue to check-in and clear departure immigration at T3.

Highlights of the T2 renovation include a larger Arrival Immigration Hall with more automated immigration lanes and special assistance lanes. According to the group, “the automated immigration lanes will serve Singaporeans and residents who have enrolled their iris and facial biometrics with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, as well as eligible foreign visitors who have done the same upon their arrival in Singapore.”

Additional automated immigration lanes will come online as more passengers enroll in the program. Special assistance lanes are wider than normal lanes, allowing passengers with mobility aids and large groups and families to clear immigration more easily.

The Baggage Claim Hall now contains three collection belts, one of which has been lengthened to increase its capacity.

Mr. Tan Lye Teck, Changi Airport Group’s Executive Vice President of Airport Management, said, “CAG is encouraged to see the strong pickup in travel demand and has worked closely with our partners to bring forward the progressive reopening of T2 ahead of the June travel peak to meet this demand. The start of flight operations at T2 will provide more capacity to support our airline partners, who are also gearing up to serve more passengers in the months ahead. T2 will reopen in phases over the next two years to support Changi’s recovery as a regional air hub.”

About the Airport

Singapore Changi Airport is one of the busiest passenger and cargo hubs in Asia. It currently ranks third on various lists, behind Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) and Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HAN). It is the home base airport of BOC Aviation, Jetstar Asia Airways (JQ), Singapore Airlines (SQ), and Scoot (TR).

It is also a focus city for All Nippon Airways (ANA) (NH) and Qantas (QF). In 2019 it became the 18^th busiest airport in the world by serving 68.3 million passengers.

Its runways, 20R/02L and 20C/02C are both 13,123 feet (4,000 meters) long. The airport’s third runway is used exclusively by the military.

The airport recently resumed work on its mega Terminal 5, slated to open in the mid-2030s.

Featured image: SIN