SINGAPORE - Changi Airport's Terminal 2 will reopen for the first departing flights on Oct 11 after a break of more than two years, including all Singapore Airlines flights to South-east Asian destinations.

Changi Airport Group (CAG) on Monday said SIA's flights to Malaysia and Thailand will be the first flights to move over from T3 to the southern wing of T2 on Oct 11, followed by all other SIA flights to the rest of South-east Asia on Oct 13.

Air India and Air India Express' departure flights will move to T2 on Oct 18.

The full list of other airlines using T2 will be made public later, CAG said.

The announcement means that SIA, whose flights all depart from T3 now, will be the first airline to use the new check-in rows in the terminal since its makeover began in 2020.

Announced just before the pandemic, T2's revamp was aimed at allowing it to handle up to five million more passengers a year, before it was shut that year due to falling passenger numbers amid the pandemic.

From next month, it will effectively be half open.

The arrival halls of T2's southern wing had already progressively reopened from May 29 after Singapore's reopening in April. The northern wing of T2 should be fully completed by 2024.

Mr Tan Lye Teck, executive vice-president of airport management at CAG, said T2's partial opening is in time for the busier year-end holiday peak, when flight numbers at Changi are expected to hit 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

"With a refreshed design, upgraded systems and a high degree of automation across the passenger journey, T2 will enable Changi to serve our passengers better," he added.

In the coming weeks, Changi Airport will conduct trials with airlines and airport partners at T2 to familiarise them with the processes there.

The same trials are also being conducted now at T4 as CAG prepares to fire on all cylinders again.

With the southern half of T2 fully open next month, Changi Airport's passenger handling capacity will be restored to its pre-pandemic level of 70 million a year.

Passenger traffic at the airport is now averaging 58 per cent of 2019 levels. Flight numbers are slightly higher, at 64 per cent.

CAG said the refreshed T2 is more spacious, with elements of its design inspired by nature, such as the use of natural materials for wall cladding and flooring as well as giant green columns.

Its transit hotel and pay-per-use lounge will open for use by departing and transit passengers. Eligible SIA customers can use the SilverKris Lounge.

Food and beverage and retail options will likely be more limited than those in other terminals, given that renovation works continue.

Coffee outlet Starbucks and postal service provider Singapore Post will return to their original store locations prior to T2's upgrade.