VI
EN
Recently, the Singapore Tourism Board announced that it will close Terminal 2 of Changi Airport for 18 months, starting May 1st, due to the complex developments of the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Accordingly, flights will be allocated to the remaining terminals of the airport, with Singapore Airlines operating from Terminal 3. Changi Airport is also considering closing Terminal 4 if airlines suspend or adjust their flight schedules.
Changi Airport Group (CAG) stated that the suspension will save on cleaning and maintenance costs, and reduce the strain on resources due to low global travel demand. Therefore, the expansion and upgrade plan for Terminal 2 may be shortened and completed a year earlier than originally planned in 2024.
Singapore's Changi Airport's Terminal 2 will be temporarily closed for 18 months. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak that began in February, elevator buttons at Changi Airport have been coated with a self-disinfecting solution to ensure safety and hygiene for travelers, airport staff, and Singaporeans. Specifically, the self-disinfecting solution, called "sdst," will not lose its effectiveness even after multiple presses, thanks to chemical bonds that allow it to adhere tightly to surfaces at the molecular level. Sdst can be sprayed onto contact surfaces like conventional disinfectants and is safe for direct use on skin.
Previously, Changi Airport had 7 routes connecting Singapore with 3 major cities in Vietnam: Da Nang, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City, with nearly 150 flights per week. Ho Chi Minh City was the 8th largest route at Changi Airport in 2017 with over 1.7 million passengers.
Singapore's Changi Airport is considered a major air transit hub and a crucial gateway to Asia in general and Southeast Asia in particular. For five consecutive years (2013-2017), it was named the world's best airport by Skytrax. Changi Airport is also one of the world's leading cargo airports, handling 1,854,610 tons in 2005. Changi serves as a hub for many well-known airlines, including Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Tiger Airways, Scoot, and Jetstar Asia Airways, and is operated by Changi Airport Group.
