1-11-2023 (SINGAPORE) Changi Airport Terminal 2 (T2) has emerged from a remarkable transformation, welcoming travelers with a spectacular multimedia digital waterfall display and an enchanting landscaped garden. The airport operator, Changi Airport Group (CAG), proudly unveiled the upgraded T2, which resumed full operations ahead of its original schedule.
The pièce de résistance of T2’s departure hall, known as The Wonderfall, stands an impressive 14 meters tall and spans 17 meters in width, creating a captivating visual spectacle. Nestled within a vertical garden, this large multimedia wall features a mesmerizing “waterfall” cascading over substantial boulders. What makes The Wonderfall even more enchanting is the four-minute musical show that graces it every half-hour, with original music composed by Canadian pianist Jean-Michel Blais, as confirmed by CAG.
Beyond immigration, in the departure transit area, lies Dreamscape, a novel garden that seamlessly blends digital content, lush vegetation, and aquatic life. Against the backdrop of a digital “sky” ceiling that mirrors real-time weather conditions outside the terminal, Dreamscape boasts more than 20,000 plants from 100 different species, some of which are rarely found in Singapore. Additionally, the garden features a fish pond with a transparent platform for passengers to stroll across, accompanied by audio recordings of over 100 distinct calls of birds, insects, and other creatures.
With T2’s early reopening, its handling capacity has surged from 23 million to 28 million passengers annually, contributing to Changi Airport’s overall annual capacity, now accommodating 90 million passengers. In terms of handling capacity, T2 now reigns as the largest among the airport’s four terminals, following 3½ years of intensive engineering and expansion efforts, adding more than 21,000 square meters – equivalent to approximately three football fields – to its size.
CAG disclosed that certain areas of the departure hall were expanded to provide more seating and walking space, while spaces within the transit area were enlarged to cater to a broader array of retail offerings.
Terminal 2 closed for upgrading in May 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The reopening occurred in phases throughout 2022. Key points such as arrival immigration and baggage claim belts in the terminal’s southern wing resumed operations in May 2022. The departure hall reopened in October the same year, aimed at serving more passengers as international border controls began to ease with the receding pandemic. The terminal’s northern wing commenced passenger services on September 28, leading up to its full reopening.
The revamped T2 now caters to 16 airlines connecting travelers to 40 cities, including esteemed carriers such as Singapore Airlines and German flag carrier Lufthansa.
Travelers can also explore new retail offerings at the upgraded T2, which include the first South-east Asia pop-up of the collectible merchandise store Funko, as mentioned by CAG. Furthermore, the transit area now boasts Lotte Duty-Free Wines and Spirits, equipped with a robot bartender and a liquor-tasting lounge. In the departure hall, Australian artisanal cafe Jones The Grocer features a deli-style food counter on its ground level, with a bar and restaurant set to open later in 2023 on its second level.
Speaking at an opening ceremony at T2, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Teo Chee Hean, commended CAG’s unwavering commitment to expanding the terminal amid the uncertainties of the pandemic. He emphasized the importance of capturing the region’s growth in air travel and pointed to the resumption of work on Terminal 5, a project set to increase Changi Airport’s yearly capacity by 50 million passengers by the mid-2030s. Teo stressed the integral role of innovation, such as T2’s baggage-handling system, capable of tracking individual bags in real time to minimize mishandling. He also emphasized the need to decarbonize Singapore’s aviation industry, highlighting Changi’s significance in the Singaporean story.
T2 now boasts 100 automated check-in kiosks and bag-drop machines, nearly double the pre-expansion numbers, alongside a new automated early luggage storage system, capable of accommodating up to 2,400 bags checked in early before their loading onto departing aircraft. Notably, the terminal features automated special assistance lanes for individuals with disabilities and families with young children, both at its arrival and departure immigration halls.
CAG refrained from disclosing the cost of the terminal’s expansion due to commercial sensitivities.
Visitors to T2 expressed their admiration for the new features. Dr. Dragana Palacek, a researcher from Serbia, praised the harmonious blend of nature and technology at Dreamscape, describing it as mesmerizing and a testament to Singapore’s unique integration of nature into its architectural marvels. Joanna Tan, a Singaporean hospitality manager, was pleasantly surprised by The Wonderfall’s grandeur, which she felt added majesty to the terminal, akin to the renowned Jewel, the retail and entertainment complex at the airport.
As of September, passenger traffic at Changi Airport had rebounded to approximately 90% of pre-pandemic levels, with nearly 10 million passengers passing through T2 since May 2022, as reported by CAG.
