18 Month Closure For Singapore’s Changi Airport T2

Changi Airport in Singapore has announced that they will be closing Terminal 2 for a period of 18 months from May 1. The suspension of operations from the 30-year-old terminal has been brought about due to the global impact on travel and aviation from the spread of COVID-19.

Singapore’s Minister for Transport, Khaw Boon Wan announced in Parliament on April 6 that airlines will be relocated to the airport’s other terminals and all of the nation’s flag carrier operations at Singapore Airlines will be consolidated in Terminal 3.

With the majority of flights suspended to and from Singapore, the move comes as little surprise and is symbolic of closures worldwide. Yesterday London Heathrow Airport announced that it would be consolidating operations to one runway, from the airport’s usual dual-runway operations.

Similarly, Gatwick Airport has closed its North Terminal since April 1 and operations at London City Airport remain completely suspended.

In a hint of a silver lining for Singapore Changi, the airport is aiming to use the consolidation of operations to speed-up ongoing construction work at T2. “Importantly, it also allows us to speed up the current upgrading works at Terminal 2 and shorten the project time by up to one year,” Mr Khaw said.

Singapore’s Minister For Transport continued; “we can close down one or two terminals, but we must think about post-pandemic recovery.”

“While full recovery this year is unlikely, partial recovery next year is probable. We must be ready to lead and to ride the recovery when it happens,” said Khaw.