SINGAPORE, 4 MAY | World's best airport, Singapore's Changi Airport is slated to fully reopen their newly-renovated Terminal 2, way ahead of schedule.

As the COVID-19 pandemic impacted air travel demand, Changi Airport Group (CAG) decided to close down and renovate their aging Terminal 2. Back in October last year, the southern wing of T2 was reopened. The newly-reopened wing featured automatic check-in kiosks, transit hotels and lounges, and a wide variety of food options. Airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Air India, and SWISS resumed operations from the terminal. Back then, the remaining wing- the northern wing, was slated to be opened in mid-2024 when air travel fully recovers.

However, there was an unprecedented rise in air travel demand post-lockdown periods. With airlines wanting more slots to the airport than they had to give, and with the mega-terminal T5 still under construction for at least a decade more, Changi Airport Group had to find a solution. Preliminarily, they reopened a few gates from the northern wing in March, to be used by airlines at Terminal 2, namely gates E1, E2, and E3.

Yesterday, at the 2023 Changi Airline Awards ceremony, the group announced that they will reopen the renovated northern wing of T2 earlier than slated, in October this year- due to the spike in air travel demand. When the northern wing of T2 is fully completed, passengers can expect even more interesting F&B and retail options, as well as new attractions that will enhance their travel experience through Changi, according to the airport's website

With the reopening of T2, the airport also plans to expand their services operating from remote stands. In the northern wing of T2, there will be 4 additional bus gates offered, bringing the total to 12. While flights from remote stands are rarely seen in this busy transport hub, it is slated to be more common once T2 fully reopens. While waiting for Terminal 5's completion, more bus gates will be used, especially for budget carriers, as air travel demand steadily increases.

Now that Terminal 2's future is set in stone, whats next? Besides the new Terminal 5, CAG plans to upgrade the 2 immigration zones and expand the arrival halls in Terminal 1, and to incorporate passport-free security checks in Terminal 3.

Sources: CNA, Straits Times, Wikipedia

Images: Business Traveller, Changi Airport Group

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