SINGAPORE - After 3½ years of engineering and expansion works, Changi Airport started operations at the northern wing of Terminal 2 (T2) on Thursday.

The refurbished terminal, which has 15,500 sq m of added space, is expected to reopen fully by the end of October, with stores and restaurants opening progressively in the coming weeks. The amenities and facilities at T2’s northern wing are now available for passenger use.

In a statement, airport operator Changi Airport Group (CAG) said Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) flights to South-east Asia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka; German flag carrier Lufthansa; as well as Swiss International Air Lines began operating at T2’s northern wing on Thursday.

Air Japan, All Nippon Airways, Etihad Airways, IndiGo and SIA’s flights to the Maldives and Nepal will follow suit in October, taking the total number of airlines operating at T2 from 12 to 16. 

SIA’s first-class check-in reception and the Sats premier check-in lounge have opened at the terminal, said CAG.

Sats said the lounge would serve up to 20 passengers at one time, with an expected footfall of 250 to 300 passengers daily.

With the reopening of T2’s northern wing, Changi Airport’s overall yearly capacity will climb to 90 million passengers. T2’s handling capacity will go up from 23 million to 28 million passengers yearly.

As at August, the airport’s passenger traffic was at 87 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels, CAG said.

T2 closed for upgrading work in May 2020, when passenger numbers nosedived during the pandemic.

The terminal’s southern wing reopened in phases in 2022, starting with key touch points such as arrival immigration and baggage claim belts in May, and the departure hall in October. This was to boost Changi Airport’s capacity to serve more passengers, given the easing of international border restrictions as the pandemic receded.

Since May 2022, the terminal has recorded more than 8.7 million passenger movements.

The revamped T2 departure hall now houses a Fast (Fast and Seamless Travel) zone, with more automated check-in kiosks and bag-drop machines. Its immigration halls have also been expanded to hold more automated immigration lanes.

With these upgrades, T2 has become the airport’s first terminal to have automated special assistance lanes at its arrival and departure immigration halls – allowing automated immigration clearance for wheelchair users and families with children.

The terminal’s ageing systems and equipment were also upgraded to more efficient models. These include a new chiller plant, which supplies cooled water to T2’s centralised air-conditioning system at energy consumption levels that are 30 per cent lower than those of the previous plant.

Two belts at T2’s baggage claim hall have also been lengthened to handle a higher volume of luggage from wide-body aircraft.

The refurbished terminal’s baggage-handling system comes with better security features and a fully automated early luggage storage system, which stows luggage that are checked in early before they are loaded onto departing aircraft. It allows 2,400 bags to be kept at any time.

These features will raise labour productivity significantly, CAG said.

The new T2 incorporates natural materials in its wall cladding and flooring, along with lush green columns of plants.

The terminal’s transit area also has a new bear-themed play area for young children and a TV lounge with a large LED (light-emitting diode) screen for passengers to catch sports and live programmes. Charging points are also available here.

Meanwhile, new food and beverage options have been introduced to T2’s public areas. They include home-grown dim sum restaurant Swee Choon, Indonesian chain Kenangan Coffee, and bubble tea retailer Chagee.

In the transit areas, travellers can also grab quick bites at Gopizza and Hudsons Coffee, or shop at local bakery Old Seng Choong, among other stores and restaurants.

Right now, 80 per cent of the shops are open at T2, CAG said. The terminal’s full reopening will be marked with an event in early November, when all its shops and dining options are open.

Mr Tan Lye Teck, CAG’s programme director for the T2 expansion project, thanked the airport community for its partnership and said the airport operator looks forward to improving the passenger experience with the refreshed terminal.

When The Straits Times visited T2’s northern wing on Thursday afternoon, there was light passenger traffic, with operations running smoothly at the departure and arrival halls.

Travellers ST interviewed did not realise that T2’s northern wing had just reopened, but many welcomed the revamp.

Mr Nitesh Aggarwal, the chief executive of a trading company, appreciated the smooth automated check-in process. He took slightly less than five minutes to check in and drop off his family’s baggage.

The 31-year-old said he was looking forward to passing the time at the new TV lounge and playground in the transit area, and he felt his 1½-year-old son would enjoy playing there.

Sales manager Donald Goh, 60, said the revamped T2 felt more spacious than other terminals at Changi Airport because of the many automated check-in kiosks spread across the departure area.

Flight attendant Sherlyn Poh, 25, said she previously had the impression that T2 was old and did not quite fit in with the modern look of the sprawling Jewel Changi Airport shopping and entertainment complex, and so felt the upgrade was much needed.

Communications executive Tessa Hamid, 32, agreed, and said the refurbished terminal had a futuristic look and more seating areas.

Others such as engineer Toh Kim Hai had reservations about the design of the new-look T2.

The 57-year-old felt the refurbished terminal looked similar to other terminals at the airport, but he added: “The new printed carpets make it look like paint was accidentally splashed on the floor, but maybe some people think this is art.”

Correction note: An earlier version of this article stated that with the reopening of T2’s northern wing, its handling capacity will go up from five to 28 million passengers yearly. Its annual capacity will go up by five million passengers, from 23 to 28 million passengers. We are sorry for the error.