As a well-known international air hub, many travellers are familiar with Changi Airport. But beyond the airport’s prominent attractions such as the Butterfly Garden in Terminal 3 and Jewel Changi Airport, there are many places and details across this aviation hub that many might not know about. Changi Journeys takes you on a journey of discovery to five extreme spots in Changi Airport.

The control tower, standing tall at 81m above mean sea level, is the optimal height to give air traffic controllers a bird’s eye view of the aerodrome.

1. Highest point – Changi control tower 

First up (literally), the highest point at the airport is without doubt the top of Changi’s iconic control tower. Standing 81 meters above mean sea level, the tower is situated between Changi’s two runways. At this optimal vantage point, air traffic controllers work tirelessly day and night to direct aircraft taking-off or landing at Changi, handling close to 1,000 aircraft movements per day.

The central core of the control tower was carefully lifted to the top, after being built on the ground

During construction, the top three floors of the control tower had been built on the ground to allow construction of this central core to take place simultaneously. After it was completed, this central core, which weighed over 1,300 tonnes, was carefully lifted to its final point at the top, at a gradual speed of six metres a day. This meticulously monitored process took two weeks to complete, capping off the construction of one the world’s tallest control towers at that time. Beyond providing line of sight across the entire Changi airfield, it also offers one of the best views that the public will not get a chance to see.

An evening view of the Airport Boulevard from the control tower’s vantage point.

Here is the deepest point of the inter-terminal baggage transfer system between terminals 2 and 3, more than 20 metres below ground.

2. Deepest point - inter-terminal baggage transfer system

Next, at more than 20 metres below ground, we have the inter-terminal baggage transfer system that facilitates the movement of checked-in baggage between Terminals 1, 2 and 3. This system ensures that passengers transferring through Changi will have peace of mind that their checked-through bags will be reunited with them at the final destination. 

Located below the train tracks of the MRT train line that comes to Changi Airport, this system moves bags up to the maximum speed of 7 metres per second. 

dnata staff needs to keep their thick jackets on when working in this temperature- controlled facility, to combat the cold. (Image credit: dnata)

3. Coldest place - Coolchain facility

Having covered the highest and lowest points, let’s move on to extreme temperatures. In a tropical country which experiences humid weather all year round, you will find yourself needing a thick jacket at the coldest place in Changi Airport - Coolchain facilities in Changi Airfreight Centre.

Ground handler dnata Singapore has a 1,400 sqm state-of-the art facility in this location which includes nine cold storage rooms, each with its dedicated climate control capability.

The coldest room in this facility is set to minus 25 degrees Celsius. Each room is built with alarm systems to trigger alerts should temperature changes exceed the set range. This ensures that products can be kept at their optimum condition. Typical cargo that the facility handles would be fresh food products such as fresh meat from Australia, seafood from Indonesia, and temperature sensitive products such as medicines and vaccines.

Flame on! Setting the Red Bird on fire during one of the regular training sessions for Changi’s firefighters.

4. Hottest place – Red Bird

Turning up the temperature next is the hottest place in Changi Airport. To facilitate the training of Changi’s Airport Emergency Service (AES), all AES firefighters must go through a rite of passage in the form of a hot fire drill in an aircraft simulator, which they affectionately refer to as the ‘Red Bird’. This 8-metre-tall and 44-metre-wide mockup of a plane, painted in striking red, is an aircraft simulator fitted with internal pipes supplying kerosene to simulate burning jet fuel. Trainers at a control center nearby can adjust the intensity of the flames to simulate real aircraft fires. Temperature of fires here can soar up to 1,000 degrees Celsius. 

Hence, if you ever see thick fumes rising out of Changi’s grounds, fret not, as it is likely to be from the Red Bird, during one of the regular training sessions for Changi’s firefighters. 

(top) Gate F60 in Terminal 2 and (bottom) gates A16 - A20 in Terminal 3, mark the ends of the longest sheltered route in Changi Airport.

5. Longest indoor route

A typical passenger passing through Changi will probably not visit more than two terminals during their journey through the airport. However, for those with a long layover and extra energy to expend, you might wish to explore the longest indoor walking route through Changi.

The white arrows on Changi's layout map shows the route taken from F60 in Terminal 2 to A16- A20 in Terminal 3

This 3.5km walk stretches from the last gate (F60) in Terminal 2 (T2) all the way to gates A16 - A20 in Terminal 3 (T3). The whole journey takes approximately 48 minutes by foot (and travelators) and covers terminals 1, 2 and 3. Starting the journey at the far end of T2, you will pass attractions such as Dreamscape and the Enchanted Garden, before reaching T1’s Central Piazza. Continuing on the route takes you past T3’s stretch of B gates. This row of boarding gates at T3 is one of the most scenic ones, with full-length windows that allow you a clear view of the control tower and Jewel. 

When you reach the end of the route in T3, you will be heartened to know that there are skytrains connecting terminals 1, 2 and 3. So if you are not up for the return walk, just grab a ride on the skytrain back to the terminal you wish to head to.