INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Frankfurt Airport will open a new €5.7 million multi-media Visitor Center in Terminal 1 on August 2 specifically designed to showcase the “fascinating world of aviation up-close”. Located in Hall C, the 1,200 metre attraction will boast a number of interactive and other features that the airport is confident will offer an exciting glimpse behind […]

London City Airport (LCY) in the UK today released a new video to welcome back and support passengers as they resume travelling through the airport this summer. It has timed the release to coincide with what it calls building momentum at the airport at the start of the summer holiday season, with more international flights […]

SFO’s multi-billion dollar capital improvement programme will use technology to transform infrastructure data management, operations and the traveller experience, writes Esri’s global transportation industry director, Terry Bills. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has embarked on a multi-billion capital improvement programme which, when complete, will transform operations and the travel experience at San Francisco International Airport. […]

TAV Airports handled 13.1 million passengers and generated €156 million in revenue across its global airport network during the first half of 2021. The passenger total amounted to 8 million domestic and 5.1 million international passengers at its airports, which include gateways in Turkey, Tunisia, Croatia, North Macedonia and Saudi Arabia. “We had a very […]

VINCI Airports has added Annecy Mont-Blanc Airport to its global airport network after signing an agreement to resume responsibility for its management, operation and development for the next 15 years from January 1, 2022. All current staff at the French gateway will join the wholly owned VINCI Airports subsidiary handling the Annecy Mont-Blanc Airport concession. […]

Airport World reports on a number of new route announcements and the return of some key international services for airports in Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific. It would be easy to think that route development was off the agenda in today’s COVID impacted world, but despite everything, airlines continue to inaugurate or announce the planned […]

The Canadian government has announced that it will provide an additional C$1.167 million in funding to the province of Saskatchewan to ensure that it is able to continue the support of essential air services for remote communities. It notes that the global COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for Northern and remote communities which depend […]

Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport will soon have a new duty free partner in Lagardère Travel Retail after the two signed off on a pioneering profit-share agreement in Paris yesterday. Global airport operator, Fraport, is responsible for operating and developing the Peruvian gateway through subsidiary, Lima Airport Partners (LAP). Both LAP and Lagardère Travel Retail […]

ACI World today released a new tool to assist airports in planning for the return of passengers to their terminals as hopes grow that aviation’s recovery from COVID will gain momentum in the second half of the year. The new Static Capacity Tool – developed by ACI World Business Partner (WBP), Redwater Consulting Group – […]

How are Europe’s airports faring one year and counting on from the outbreak of COVID-19? ACI EUROPE’s director general, Olivier Jankovec, provides a progress report. Although far from alone in suffering from the impact of COVID-19, the past 17 months has been a period like no other for Europe’s airports, which have faced a near […]

Collins Aerospace has completed deployment of its ARINC SelfPass biometrics solution at Tokyo Haneda, one of the busiest airports in Asia-Pacific. The technology will help streamline passenger journeys through Haneda by reducing the need for physical interaction with staff and bottlenecks at multiple passenger touchpoints. “Our ‘Face Express’ system will allow passengers to efficiently proceed […]

Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) establishes a new model for hiring local, diverse teams to work on the upgrade of LAX and Van Nuys airports, write Chris Robert, Jon Philips and Anne Fletcher. As the aviation industry begins to awaken after a tumultuous year, we can come back stronger than we were before, particularly when […]

Salvador Bahia Airport has become the first gateway in the northeast region of Brazil to be granted Airport Health Accreditation status by ACI for its anti-COVID measures. Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) celebrates and promotes the best sanitary practices in the airport industry. In order to receive the accreditation, Salvador Bahia Airport underwent a voluntary assessment by the AHA programme, […]

Chief development officer, Bernardo Gogna, provides an update on Los Angeles International Airport’s $14.5 billion Capital Improvement Program and the recent opening of two key new facilities. As Los Angeles gears up to welcome the world over the course of the next seven years as the host city for Super Bowl LVI and the 2028 […]

LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B has been awarded LEED v4 Gold certification for the completed phases of the new terminal, which encompasses the Arrivals & Departures Hall, Eastern Concourse, Eastern Pedestrian Bridge and the Central Heating and Refrigeration Plant. Operator, LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP), notes that it makes LaGuardia Terminal B the first airport project in […]

Munich Airport subsidiary, Munich Airport International (MAI), is to partner with Atlanta-based Citiri to offer digital operational readiness and airport transfer (ORAT) services to airport operators and infrastructure developers across the globe. MAI claims that by combining its knowhow and experience of helping airports open new facilities with Citiri’s ORAT management platform software, the partners […]

It may not be one of the UK’s better known airports, but Doncaster Sheffield (DSA) has some big ambitions, and its efforts to boost its route network have been boosted by TUI’s decision to expand its operations from the gateway next summer. The package holiday giant has announced that it will launch services to Faro […]

Domestic routes, traditionally the undervalued siblings of more lucrative international services, are leading aviation’s fight back from COVID. But how long is this likely to last? OAG’s senior analyst, John Grant, investigates. The last eighteen months have been the most challenging in the history of commercial aviation, balance sheets have been wrecked, demand shattered, and […]

Cork Airport has awarded the main construction contract for the rebuilding of the airport’s main runway to Colas Limited, which has extensive experience of completing similar runway projects across the world. Ireland’s Minister of State, Hildegarde Naughton, visited the airport today to meet with airport managing director, Niall MacCarthy, and Colas Ireland CEO, Gearoid Lohan, […]

There may still be a long way to go, but passenger numbers are finally on the rise at Copenhagen Airport, the Danish gateway handling nearly twice as many travellers last month than it did in May. And although the June upturn only amounted to an average of 17,000 passengers a day compared to pre-COVID levels […]

Ryanair today demonstrated its confidence in aviation’s ability to bounce back from COVID by announcing plans to recruit 2,000 new pilots over the next three years. The Irish airline’s announcement follows the recent delivery of its first Boeing 737-8200 aircraft, which it says will help it lower costs, cut fuel consumption and lower noise and […]

As aviation recovers, airports need flexibility in setting airport charges, writes ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira. With traffic still down on pre-COVID levels and passenger numbers not expected to recover before 2024, airport operators are likely to face significant financial challenges during aviation’s recovery period. Taking stock of the fact that airports […]

Finnish flag carrier, Finnair, is to set up a base at Stockholm Arlanda and launch long-haul operations to Bangkok, Phuket and Miami from the Swedish gateway. Swedish airport operator, Swedavia, notes that the motivation for the move is the potential for international growth in the Swedish market from the start of the winter schedules. The […]

The COVID pandemic has triggered one of the most disruptive periods on record for air travel. As a result, many carriers have had to make dramatic spending cuts over the past year and the economic impact has put a significant strain on the liquidity buffers of airline companies. On top of this, it will come […]

Lagardère Travel Retail has completed the renovation of the luxury fashion & accessories offer in the domestic terminal of Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport. It is confident that the upgrade, which includes the opening of 18 boutiques showcasing many of the world’s most coveted luxury brands in China, will “elevate the travel retail experience at one […]

Miami International Airport’s route network continues to grow with Emirates launching services to Dubai and Southwest and JetBlue joining the gateway’s low-cost carriers, writes MIA’s communications director, Greg Chin. Qatar, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, EL AL Israel Airlines and American Airlines will offer non-stop flights to the Middle East from Miami International Airport (MIA) this summer […]

London Heathrow, desperate to speed up the return of safe international travel, today flagged up a new report by the Centre for Economics & Business Research, which claims that aviation needs to be at the heart of the UK’s future economic growth. The new research highlights how the UK could undergo an economic pivot post-Brexit, […]

Airports Council International (ACI) today announced that Istanbul Airport has become the first airport in the world to be reaccredited through the Airport Health Accreditation programme. The Turkish gateway was the first in the world to be accredited in 2020 and now the airport is the first in the world to be reaccredited for another […]

Swedavia’s plans to develop an airport city at Göteborg Landvetter Airport (Gothenburg) have been boosted by Zeppelin Sverige AB’s decision to set up its Swedish headquarters in one of the gateway’s new business parks. In order to meet continued strong demand for logistics properties, Swedavia is planning to develop a further 350,000 square metres of […]

With international travel still very much on hold because of COVID-19, restoring route networks and global connectivity is going to take the effort of all stakeholders that benefit from aviation, writes York Aviation’s James Brass. The last 18 months have been profoundly strange for the air transport industry. After years of growth and expanding route […]

Ten years after gaining independence, South Sudan is welcoming the world’s international aviation operators and airliners into its skies following the launch of a state-of-the-art, online airspace management system. In a move that is expected to open up new routes, boost tourism and generate much-needed revenue for the economy, operators of commercial, cargo and aid […]

ASM Global Route Development’s senior vice president for consulting and product development, Nigel Mayes, considers the impact COVID-19 has had on route development. The impact of COVID-19 on aviation is clear to see from the pictures of parked aircraft and empty airport terminals to the vacant beaches and closed hotels. But what has been the […]

Enhanced wireless networks are key to enabling the digitalisation of airports and taking performance and safety to the next level, writes Nokia’s global aviation practice lead, Richard van Wijk. Given its reliance on the movement of people, it is little wonder the aviation industry was among those hit hardest by the pandemic. Countries locked down, […]

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) has released an updated Terminal Area Study that it says provides a roadmap for the future development of the terminal, roadways and parking facilities. According to the South Carolina gateway, the study confirms that GSP can accommodate future passenger growth and provides details on how and when GSP should start planning […]

It might not seem like a priority right now, but ACI World today revealed that more than $2.4 trillion will have to be spent on enhancing the infrastructure of the world’s airports by 2040 in order to meet future demand. The size of the task ahead, which will include modernising existing facilities as well as […]

Bahrain International Airport’s new terminal gives it the potential to grow and become a firm favourite with passengers over the coming decades, writes Joe Bates. Bahrain International Airport’s new state-of-the-art terminal is the crowning jewel of a $1.1 billion infrastructure development programme designed to transform it into a world-class boutique airport and a key driver […]

IAG Cargo, the cargo division of the International Airlines Group, completed its first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) charter chain of 16 flights from Stuttgart to Atlanta last week. Working with their partner Kuehne+Nagel, IAG Cargo sourced 1.2 million litres of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Neste. This collaboration is believed to mark the first […]

Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is set to become the first in the world to be powered by its own microgrid fuelled by thousands of solar panels and natural gas from airport land, it is claimed today. World-renowned technology institutions, including Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh and a host of innovative Pittsburgh-based tech firms […]

China’s newest gateway to the world, the $11 billion Chengdu Tianfu International Airport in Sichuan Province, has opened for business. Located in Jianyang district, approximately 50km east of downtown Chengdu, the new airport will play an important role in the development of the Sichuan Province economy and its 80 million inhabitants. Considered as a hub […]

VIEW THE ISSUE HERE Theme: Route development Airport report: Bahrain Special report: The modernisation of LAX Plus: IT innovation, WBP news & People matters Routes and destinations Editor, Joe Bates, considers the current difficulties faced with international travel and restoring air connectivity in this ‘route development’ themed issue. With countries, regions and different parts of […]

Lounge operator Airport Dimensions has acquired the No1 Lounges business through joint venture SwissportALD. The acquisition will see Airport Dimensions and Swissport operate nine No1 lounge portfolio spaces at London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Birmingham airports in the UK. As part of the acquisition, Airport Dimensions and Swissport will be taking on the iconic No1 […]

After being awakened from its 15-month long hibernation, Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 1 and Concourse D welcomed back their first passengers today. The first arrival was a flynas flight XY201 from the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh. Linked to Terminal 1 by an airport train, the $1.2 billion Concourse D, opened in February 2016 as […]

Edinburgh Airport today published its new sustainability strategy, which includes plans to build an eleven-acre solar farm on the airfield. The announcement and strategy comes on the same day as the airport confirms carbon neutral status for emissions under its direct control, demonstrating its commitment to a more sustainable future. The solar farm, the first […]

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced that it is to award $8 billion in grants to “keep US airport workers employed, construction projects going and help US airports recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic”. The funding for the grants comes from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 President Biden signed into […]

Dubai International Airport (DXB) has officially opened of one of the world’s largest and most modern airport labs for the on-site processing of COVID-19 RT PCR tests. Located close to Terminal 2, the 20,000 square-foot laboratory is a dedicated facility for round-the-clock processing of RT-PCR test samples collected from passengers at DXB. And according to […]

The UK’s leading airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers and air service navigation providers today reaffirmed their joint commitment to a net zero future for UK aviation, setting out a first set of interim decarbonisation targets that will act as milestones on the path to net zero aviation by 2050. Industry is targeting at least an overall […]

Glasgow Airport’s team of volunteer community first responders have been recognised for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic response. Paul Scott, Kevin McGuire, Steven Mitchell, Douglas McShane, Jeanette Paton, Jennifer Mulligan, Philip Gillespie and Katy Gracey were presented with a commemorative coin from the Scottish Ambulance Service for outstanding dedication and care. Six of those […]

Changing consumption patterns due to the global pandemic is causing the emergence of new mega trends in travel retail, according to the latest consumer research from m1nd-set. The research introduces a range of new consumer trends that are affecting shopper behaviour and highlights, several of which will be specific to the travel retail sector. And, […]

Customer feedback provider, HappyOrNot, has installed its smiley push button machines at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport ahead of the city hosting the Summer Olympics. Using HappyOrNot’s Smiley Terminal push-button type terminals, Narita International Airport (NRT) will collect substantial amounts of customer feedback, enabling it to monitor their passenger’s security experience at 23 checkpoints across the […]

As restrictions begin to ease in the UK and with many hoping that more countries will be added to the government’s green list, online searches for flights are increasing, writes Entec Si’s Eman Al-Hillawi. While this is positive news for airports, many of which have struggled during the pandemic, it is crucial that they put […]

Ljubljana Airport today inaugurated its new 10,000sqm passenger terminal, although the Slovenian gateway’s key new asset won’t officially open to passengers until July 1. Operator Fraport Slovenija, a subsidiary of global airport operator Fraport AG, has invested some €21 million in the ultra-modern terminal, which will ensure that Ljubljana Airport is equipped to meet future […]

ACI World and the five ACI regions – in collaboration with members – have created a long-term carbon goal for their member airports. The announcement simpy says: “ACI member airports at a global level commit to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and urge governments to provide the necessary support in this endeavour.” Climate […]

Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport today revealed that it has handled 1.1 million passengers since reopening for commercial flights a year ago following its temporary closure due to the global pandemic. The Ecuadorian gateway has welcomed an average of 95,985 passengers a month over the last year – 77% lower than its pre-pandemic levels when […]

Frequent flyers on Star Alliance member airlines will soon be able to use their biometric identity across any participating airline at any participating airport following a new agreement between the world’s largest airline alliance, NEC Corporation and SITA. The agreement announced today is aimed at accelerating the availability of biometric self-service touchpoints across Star Alliance’s […]

Travel retail operator, Gebr Heinemann, has revealed that it is gearing up for aviation’s recovery and is in a good place to resume where it left off before the global pandemic, despite a 67% drop in revenues in 2020. “We firmly believe in the travel market and are setting our organisation up for the restart, […]

For the second running, Salvador Bahia Airport has been named as Brazil’s most sustainable airport by the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac). The airport, which is part of the VINCI Airports group, achieved the highest score in its size category in the Sustainable Airports Award. Salvador Bahia Airport also obtained the highest score among all […]

Commercial spirit How can you create the commercial spirit that will help airports to recover the ground lost during the pandemic? In our work with organisations and organisation culture we have met and worked with many successful entrepreneurs. Most have run their own companies, but a few have been successful inside corporations. Whatever the setting, […]

Design firm ZGF Architects has released some more design images of the planned new $1.5 billion terminal at Portland International Airport. Building on a long history of work at Portland International Airport (PDX), ZGF is designing a new main terminal that will double the existing footprint and create capacity for 35 million passengers by 2045 […]

Munich Airport will resume operations in Terminal 1 this summer in anticipation of rising passenger numbers. Like many airports around the world, the airport decided to close the terminal to traffic to concentrate operations in Terminal 2 to make best use of its resources and save money. The German gateway handled 400 flights and 36,000 […]

Incheon International Airport has announced that it will open a new Cool Center to handle perishable cargo shipments in the second half of this year. The new complex is expected to improve the airport’s hub competitiveness by reducing the transhipment time and costs for consignments ranging from fresh fruit and cut flowers to COVID-19 vaccines. […]

Multiplex Constructions has won the contract to design and build the passenger terminal at Australia’s planned new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport. The A$5.3 billion airport is slated to open in late 2026 and will initially be equipped to handle around 10 million passengers per annum. Airbiz is the designated specialist airport planner on […]

The Civil Aviation Authority of Colombia (Aerocivil) is to install Rohde & Schwarz’s IP based voice communications system (VCS), CERTIUM, systems at 36 airports across the country. The VCS technology will complement the over 1,000 CERTIUM air traffic control (ATC) radios Rohde & Schwarz has aleady installed in more than 80 Colombian airports. CERTIUM VCS will be deployed in six main […]

The transformation of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is gathering pace, with Los Angeles Mayor, Eric Garcetti, unveiling a $477.5 million extension to Terminal 1 on Friday – the second new addition to LAX’s infrastructure in the space of a few weeks after the opening of Tom Bradley International Terminal’s West Gates. The latest development […]

Airport World reviews a handful of pioneering new sustainability initiatives and salutes Swedavia for becoming the first operator to achieve Net Zero emissions across its airport network. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has announced the expansion of its industry-leading plastic-free policy to prohibit the sale of any beverages in plastic bottles. In August 2019, SFO […]

Cargo operations at Liege Airport have been boosted by the news that Saudi Cargo is to up the frequency of freighter flights to the Belgian gateway. The airline signed a contract with the airport yesterday confirming its decision to step up its operations in Liege. Commenting on the airline’s decision, Liege Airport CEO, Frédéric Jacquet, […]

A snapshot of the latest news from ACI’s World Business Partners. Jacobs to help Washington DC airports enhance passenger experience The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has chosen Jacobs to help it enhance the overall airline and passenger experience at Reagan National and Dulles airports. Under the terms of the agreement, Jacobs will provide facilities condition […]

Traffic at its airports may be down for now, but a sign of Sweden’s confidence in the recovery of air travel was demonstrated at Göteborg-Landvetter Airport (Gothenburg) this week with the opening of a new 223-room hotel. The airport notes that the addition of the Scandic Landvetter has doubled the number of hotel rooms at […]

A pioneering new e-commerce initiative aims to make airport shopping in Malaysia and at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport in Turkey easier and more convenient. Malaysia Airports is one of the world’s largest airport operators in terms of passenger numbers, handling more than 141.2 million across its network of 39 Malaysian airports and Istanbul Sabiha […]

ACI Europe has issued a warning to governments about the risk of travellers having to spend hours at Europe’s airports over the summer due to COVID-19 checks. With the on-going and expected further easing of travel restrictions both within Europe and beyond on the back of improving epidemiological situations, Europe’s airports are looking forward to […]

Eland Conway tells us more about a record breaking year for cargo at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and some ambitious plans to enhance its freight handling capabilities. The coronavirus pandemic has caused global disruption and a downturn in passenger traffic the likes of which we’ve never seen before, and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport […]

Fraport’s executive board chairman, Dr Stefan Schulte, will reveal the impact of COVID-19 on Frankfurt Airport and the group’s global airport portfolio, and confirm his optimism about aviation’s ability to bounce back, when he addresses shareholders at the company’s virtual Annual General Meeting on Tuesday. Referring to last 12 months as “the most severe and […]

London Luton Airport (LLA) has announced the adoption of a number of new digital services to improve the passenger experience as well as the introduction of new software designed to automate the billing of the airport’s aeronautical revenues. The new digital services include the introduction of unlimited 10mb/s Wi-Fi across the terminal building, the creation of […]

As Europe’s airline industry gear up for the resumption of international travel this summer, the Sihl Group and eezeetags BV have announced that they are working together to help expedite self-service check-in at airports. The two companies have developed a concept for this market that is based on PRESSURETAC – the market leading, patented product […]

By diversifying its portfolio to offer management, consulting and training services worldwide, Munich Airport has expanded its footprint far beyond Bavaria, writes Ivonne Kuger. The past year will surely go down as the worst in the history of commercial aviation, and with global passenger traffic struggling to recover from the coronavirus pandemic and revenues down […]

London’s Heathrow Airport is celebrating its 75th anniversary as a commercial gateway. Since opening for civilian aviation in 1946, Heathrow has welcomed over 2.5 billion passengers through its doors and has played host to some of Britain’s most memorable moments ranging from the Beatles returning to the UK as global superstars in 1964; to the […]

San Francisco International Airport’s $2.4 billion Harvey Milk Terminal 1 is a step closer to completion today following the opening of seven new departure gates and a new post-security connector to the International Terminal. Also unveiled today was a new museum gallery and a new display of exhibit content honouring the life and legacy of […]

The pandemic may have brought airports to a standstill, but beneath London Stansted’s terminal a £70m baggage system revamp has been driven to the finish line. The project, which took four years to complete, is the largest upgrade to the airport’s baggage network since the terminal opened in 1991. It involved replacing the ageing set-up […]

Frankfurt Airport is to re-open its Terminal 2 on June 1 in anticipation of rising passenger numbers during the upcoming holiday season in Europe. A list of the airlines that will be based in Terminal 2 from June 1 onward is available via our airport website at www.frankfurt-airport.com. “We’re very pleased to announce that, after more […]

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) continues to enhance its infrastructure, this morning celebrating the opening of the $1.73 billion West Gates at the Tom Bradley International Terminal. According to Los Angeles Mayor, Eric Garcetti, the latest investment delivers a modern guest experience with cutting-edge technology, stunning architecture, a checked-bag storage system, biometric boarding gates and […]

Maryland transportation leaders and BGE officials today unveiled new fast-charging electric vehicle charging stations at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The four new DC fast charging (DCFC) stations, located in the airport’s Cell Phone Lot, will allow motorists to charge their electric vehicles while waiting for airline passengers to arrive at the airport. “This is […]

Airport World gets the latest news and reaction to ACI’s 2020 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) customer experience awards. It might have been easy for the world’s airports to let their usual high customer service standards drop in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic significantly reduced their passenger numbers, but ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey proved […]

Eurocontrol, never one to sugar coat matters, today predicted that air traffic in Europe won’t return to 2019 levels until 2024 at the earliest. The bleak scenario is outlined in a new forecast looking at the possible evolution of domestic and international air traffic in Europe over the coming four years taking into account the expected […]

A Southwest Airlines flight to Tampa today had the honour of becoming the first aircraft to taxi under the new eastern pedestrian skybridge at New York-LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B. Passengers inside Terminal B awaiting their flights were able to watch the first aircraft taxi right underneath them as they stood inside the pedestrian skybridge. The […]

The health and safety measures in place at London City Airport have been formally approved as COVID-secure by the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Public Health England (PHE), in line with the CART Take-Off guidelines set out by the ICAO. During a rigorous two-day assessment, which included a full audit of the passenger journey […]

ACI World has announced that its industry-leading Customer Experience Global Summit will return in September 2021 to be hosted as a hybrid event in Montréal, Canada. The third edition of ACI World’s Customer Experience Global Summit will be held at Montreal’s Palais des Congres on September 8 and 9, exploring the theme Gateway to the […]

Augusto Bernal tells us more about how the Houston Airport System (HAS) is driving the development of Houston Spaceport at the city’s Ellington Airport. While much of the aerospace news coming out of Texas recently focused on Elon Musk’s expansion of SpaceX at the southern tip of the state, more than 350 miles to the […]

London Gatwick’s revival could generate over 50,000 new jobs and £8.4 billion Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2028 – enough to fund 222,000 primary school places or 70,000 nurses across the region, according to a new economic assessment report. The report, published yesterday, even goes as far to argue that Gatwick’s strong revival is critical […]

Edmonton International Airport (EIA) and Air Canada are signing a new partnership to reduce carbon emissions and advance a green and sustainable aviation sector. The EIA-Air Canada Sustainability Partnership aims to reduce the carbon impact of air travel with both organisations working together to test emerging green technologies at EIA’s Airport City Sustainability Campus, an ecosystem […]

Outgoing Quiport president and CEO, Andrew O’Brian, will become CEO of US-based Reach Airports on August 1. O’Brian says that he is looking forward to a new challenge after overseeing the growth and development of Ecuador’s Quito International Airport for the last eight years. Reach Airports is a joint venture between Munich Airport subsidiary, Munich […]

Frankfurt Airport has announced that its Northwest Runway (07L/25R) will resume operations on June 1 in anticipation of a rise in aircraft movements this summer. It believes that its expectations are backed by the forecasts issued by Eurocontrol, the European air traffic co-ordination agency. “There has already been an increase in take-offs and landings in […]

Maryland governor, Larry Hogan, yesterday toured the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport’s new Concourse A Extension project. According to the airport, the much anticipated development which will add important services and amenities for Maryland residents and visitors as it remains the busiest airport in the region. “BWI Marshall Airport serves as a critical engine for […]

MXD’s Chris LeTourneur explores how mid-sized regional airports are driving revenue growth through commercial and logistics development. Mid-sized regional airports have always been critical economic engines for their adjacent regions, by facilitating passenger connectivity with larger gateway airports and business markets. They have also had the benefit of an abundance of land beyond what is […]

Cargo volumes at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) are rising, although passenger numbers continue to struggle, based on the gateway’s April traffic statistics, released today by Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK). The latest totals show that the airport handled 389,000 tonnes of cargo (+15.5%) in April, and while both its passenger numbers and air traffic […]

California’s John Wayne Airport has announced the opening of a Fly Well Clinic, making it one of just a few airports in the US to offer travellers onsite COVID-19 vaccinations, urgent care, telehealth consultations and vital screenings. Located post-security in Terminal B across from Gate 10, the new clinic also will offer flu shots during […]

How did the world’s leading cargo gateways fare in 2020 and what are they expecting from the year ahead? Joe Bates reports. In terms of volumes and payloads, air cargo fared much better than the passenger side of the business in 2020, and that seems likely to be repeated for most or all of this […]

The retail mix at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Mrshall Airport (BWI) has been enhanced with the opening of two new outlets operated by the Marshall Retail Group (MRG). MRG, a WHSmith company, believes that the new additions – District Market and America! – in Concourse D will appeal to passengers as both provide a little slice […]

London City Airport (LCY) today welcomed the resumption of SWISS services to Zurich (ZRH), the route to Switzerland’s largest city previously being one of the gateway’s most popular prior to the global pandemic. SWISS will operate two rotations per week to Zurich initially, although their schedule will increase in line with the anticipated surges in […]

In the new edition of its Infrastructure & Energy Outlook magazine, S&P Global Ratings examines how airports and aviation have fared amid a resurgence of restrictions in Europe, and looks ahead to the future of the sector. “The rebound in European air traffic has been delayed, and a more meaningful recovery will now have to […]

The list of tenants at Brisbane Airport (BNE) will soon include the world’s largest distributor for home-brewing brands such as Still Spirits, Mangrove Jacks, and Grainfather following the sod-turning ceremony for a new facility at the gateway. Bevie’s 2,600sqm state-of-the-art unit will be located within a Warehousing Industrial Duplex Facility on Grevillea Place in Export […]

ACI World director, general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, reflects on the impact COVID-19 has had on aviation and plotting the road to recovery one year on from the outbreak of the global pandemic. A year on from the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19 continues to have a huge impact on our lives and leave […]

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) is to adopt Veovo’s airport-wide flow management technology to obtain a greater understanding of passenger movement beyond the security checkpoint and into other areas of the terminal and concourses. Specifically, the airport will be able to see how travellers, processes and airlines interact and interconnect. “Providing memorable and predictable journeys, from […]

The Airport Operators Association (AOA) in the UK is citing the dramatic fall in Air Passenger Duty revenues as further evidence of the damage to aviation caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. AOA research, based on the latest Air Passenger Duty statistics published by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on April 30, shows the […]

VIEW THE ISSUE HERE Theme: Revenue diversification Airport report: Bermuda Special report: World’s busiest cargo airports Plus: Sustainability & 2020’s ASQ winners Financial times Editor, Joe Bates, considers the economic impact of COVID-19 on airports and how finding new revenue streams could help some survive. Anyone who has been in this industry for any length […]

Kosovo’s Pristina International Airport – Adem Jashari  has enhanced its self check-in options for passengers by rolling out Auto Bag Drop (ABD) units across its terminal. The new additions – 10 ABD units from ICM Airport Technics, an Amadeus company – are part of the latest technology upgrade by Limak Kosovo International Airport JSC, which […]

Miami International Airport is to be used as a test site by the US’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to trial new drone detection technology. The initial test of technologies that will detect, track, and identify (DTI) drones – also known as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) – from entering into restricted airspace. “TSA’s establishment and management […]

Frankfurt Airport operator, Fraport, will take over responsibility for the bulk of all security operations at the German hub from January 1 next year. According to a new agreement signed with the federal authorities, from 2023, Fraport will be responsible for the organisation, financing, management and performance of aviation security at Frankfurt Airport. The handover […]

Milas-Bodrum in Turkey has become the sixth gateway in TAV Airports’ global portfolio to receive Airport Carbon Accreditation certification, the only institutionally-endorsed, global carbon management programme for airports. The self titled gateway to the Turkish Riviera has obtained Level 1 ‘Mapping’ certification in the ACI Europe launched programme. Milas-Bodrum Airport’s general manager, Iclal Kayaoglu, said: […]

Amazon has announced plans to build a 270,000 square foot sortation facility on property adjacent to Tulsa International Airport. Located in North Mingo Avenue just off of Highway 169, the facility is expected to be completed in late 2021, making it Amazon’s third large investment in Tulsa, following the 2.5 million square foot fulfilment centre […]

Munich Airport will offer a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) option to its airlines from June 1 as it bids to further reduce its and aviation’s impact on the environment. After what it calls a thorough technical testing process, the German gateway says that its new SAF fuel depot is ready for business and will start […]

With its new state-of-the-art terminal, Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport has never been better equipped to offer passengers a unique and memorable experience, writes Joe Bates. It may not have had that many visitors yet due to the continued impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic, but the new terminal at Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport […]

Incheon International Airport Corporation today signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Aviation Group and Sharp Technics K to establish a passenger to freighter (P2F) conversion site in South Korea. The facility at Incheon International Airport will specialise in converting Boeing 777-ERSF (Big Twin) from passenger to freighter aircraft from 2024. […]

Dubai International Airport (DXB) has gained Airport Health Accreditation from ACI, the certification officially endorsing its efforts to ensure the health and safety of passengers and airport workers. The Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) programme is designed to help reassure the travelling public about the safety of airport facilities and the precautions being taken by airports […]

Quito International Airport will have a new boss on June 1 when Ramón Miró replaces Andrew O’Brian as the new president and CEO of operator, Corporacíon Quiport. Miró, a former vice president of business development at ADC & HAS Airports Worldwide (now Airports Worldwide), says that he is honoured to succeed O’Brian, who is leaving […]

Global airport operator, TAV Airports, has officially taken over responsibility for operating Almaty Airport in Kazakhstan. TAV now owns 85% of Almaty Airport and its associated fuel and catering businesses with the Kazakhstan Infrastructure Fund – managed by VPE Capital and backed by Kazyna Capital Management – holding the remaining 15% stake. Almaty is the […]

Amadeus has signed a new long-term partnership with Cambodia Airports to provide it with a cloud platform that it believes will make it easier for the operator to realise its strategic vision. The IT giant is confident that the introduction of it fully integrated cloud platform for airport passenger services at Phnom Penh, Siem Reap […]

Representatives of Prague Airport, CzechTourism and Prague City Tourism have signed a Memorandum on a long-term joint approach to the resumption and expansion of inbound tourism to Prague and the Czech Republic. It is tourism that the parties involved see as one of the preconditions for both economic recovery post the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent […]

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has become the latest US gateway to open a COVID-19 testing facility operated by the XpresSpa Group. The XpresCheck at SFO is a pop-up facility located pre-security, near the baggage claim area on the Arrivals level at Terminal 3 and boasts nine separate testing rooms that between them are capable […]

TAV Airports today revealed that its global airport network handled 3.3 million domestic and 1.1 million international passengers during the first three months of 2021. The passenger total is 60% down on the corresponding period last year and was accompanied by a 50% drop in revenues. TAV Airports Holding’s executive board member and CEO Sani […]

Dubai International Airport (DXB) believes that it ended the first quarter of the year on a relatively positive note, registering a gradual but steady recovery in both customer numbers and cargo volumes. By the end of Q1 2021, DXB served 63% of the destinations in 89% of the countries on 74% of the airlines compared […]

Working together to safeguard and rebuild the millions of aviation jobs threatened by the global pandemic will play a key role in the aviation industry’s recovery from COVID-19, ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, reiterated yesterday. Addressing the World Travel and Tourism Council Global Summit,  in Cancun, Oliveira said air transport remains a […]

Doncaster Sheffield Airport in the UK, which turned sixteen today, has unveiled a new partnership that it hopes will help unlock the economic potential of the area surrounding area. The collaboration, between Doncaster Sheffield Airport, Peel L&P and the University of Sheffield, is set to explore how the parties can work together to catalyse the […]

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Austin Energy are celebrating the completion of a new solar panel array constructed on the airport campus that will produce 1.8 megawatts of locally-generated, renewable energy. The new solar array marks a milestone in both Austin Energy’s Community Solar Program and the Texas gateway’s portfolio of sustainability efforts. The array will […]

The buzz at San Antonio International Airport (SAT) is about the new Honey Bee Apiary Program also known as #SATBEEKIND. The airport installed two active bee hives with 40,000 bees to begin the honey-making process on the property. Each hive starts with about 20,000 bees with the potential of growing to 60,000 bees. #SATBEEKIND is […]

Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) this week held a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic for all airport workers at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) and Willow Run (YIP) airports. Participants ranged from tenants who lease space at YIP to employees of the airlines, concessionaires and janitorial service providers. WCAA partnered with Rite Aid to provide clinics on-site […]

ACI World today released the COVID-19 impacted world traffic rankings for 2020, the global pandemic ensuring that it has a very different look to normal, with Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN) in China replacing Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) as the busiest gateway on the planet. Guangzhou Baiyun took top spot by handling 43.7 million passengers in 2020, just […]

The small regional airport of Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region of Central France has become the first airport in country to offer sustainable biofuel to its airlines. The VINCI Airports operated gateway began offering the Air bp manufactured biofuel produced from food oil yesterday, and notes that Michelin Air Services is its first customer. […]

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and American Airlines are celebrating the soft opening of 14 gates in a newly constructed 225,000-square-foot concourse at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). A major milestone in the airport’s Project Journey capital improvement programme, the new concourse will serve as the home of American Airlines’ regional operations at DCA […]

Etihad Airways will become the first airline to trial the IATA Travel Pass app, which ratifies the travel health credentials of passengers, on flights from Abu Dhabi to Chicago, New York, Washington and Toronto. The trial will run from now and May 31, with both Etihad and IATA hoping that it will simplify the travel […]

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) now offers COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests with results guaranteed in less than an hour with the addition of a new testing option at the Tom Bradley International Terminal. The tests are in addition to PCR tests being offered for sale at several locations throughout the airport (with results […]

Uber Eats is now available from a variety of HMSHost-operated restaurants across Terminals 1 and 3 at Toronto Pearson International Airport. According to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), the “innovative partnership” offers convenience and contactless ordering for consumers, while also providing additional revenue for on-site restaurants. It is also believed to make Pearson the […]

Cork Airport has welcomed the news that DHL Express is to establish new cargo operations from Cork to DHL Express’ largest European hub in Leipzig, Germany. DHL Express will offer one of the most modern and efficient freighter services in the world, operated initially by a Boeing 767 lower deck aircraft five days per week, […]

The Information Security Management System at Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) has received ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification from Bureau Veritas. Airport operator, MATAR, notes that the globally recognised certification “affirms its ongoing commitment to implement industry best practises and continuously enhance its information security management system”. The Doha gateway insists that while striving to provide a […]

Airports in Australia and New Zealand have been celebrating the reopening of quarantine free trans-Tasman travel for the first time in 12 months. In Brisbane, Brisbane Airport opened 16 ‘Green Lane’ services yesterday to accommodate Air New Zealand and Qantas flights between BNE and Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. The airport reports that all eight arrivals […]

Hamad International Airport’s senior vice president for technology and innovation, Suhail Kadri, discusses his gateway’s IT strategy. What is your airport’s philosophy/strategy when it comes to the trial and introduction of new technology? We are committed to harnessing the power of digital innovation and technology to deliver the passenger experience and operations of a true […]

Psychological safety Terri Morrissey and Richard Plenty give their perspective on how to create a psychologically safe work environment. Have you ever felt that it would be better not to speak out, ask questions, challenge the status quo, raise issues, or simply make suggestions in your workplace because there might be a price to pay […]

Aviation leaders from across the globe and an impressive 27,000 viewers virtually watched the recent World Aviation Conference (WAC) in South Korea, hosted by Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC). This year’s event was staged a few weeks ahead of the upcoming 20th anniversary of Incheon International Airport, which within five years of its opening was […]

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has chosen Jacobs to help it enhance the overall airline and passenger experience at Reagan National and Dulles airports. Under the terms of the agreement, Jacobs will provide facilities condition assessment (FCA) and enterprise asset management (EAM) services at both Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Washington Dulles International […]

Copenhagen Airport continues to struggle with the downturn in traffic caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, today admitting that although its airlines are ready for busy summer take-off, “everything now depends on what the reopening plan for the travel industry will look like”. The Danish gateway adds: “Even with the few people currently travelling, social distancing […]

Fortem Technologies co-founder and CEO, Timothy Bean, provides his thoughts on the challenges airports face from the 1% of drones that pose a threat to aircraft and airfield safety. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US sees more than 100 rogue drone sighting reports each month, and with the number of commercial and recreational […]

Doha’s Hamad International Airport has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Qatar’s Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) to improve its waste management. As a result, the airport (DOH) says that it will develop and modernise its facilities by implementing new, more effective methods of waste management. The MoU outlines the collaboration between MATAR […]

An old friend returned to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) today – Southwest Airlines, which is back at the Texas gateway after a 16 year absence. Its return widens the carrier’s footprint in Houston and will provide greater convenience for business and leisure travellers throughout the region, notes Houston Airports. “Welcome back home to […]

Glasgow Airport has been awarded an International Safety Award for protecting its employees from the risk of injury and ill health at work. The airport has won an International Safety Award with a Distinction from the British Safety Council in recognition of its commitment to keeping its workers and workplaces healthy and safe during the […]

Milas-Bodrum Airport greeted its first international passengers of the year when an Azur Air flight from Moscow touched down in Turkey yesterday. The flight, which was met by a traditional water salute,  brought 212 passengers from Moscow Vnukovo to Bodrum. TAV Milas-Bodrum’s general manager, İclal Kayaoğlu, said: “We are happy to welcome the first international […]

Each year airlines begin new sustainability initiatives, experiment with biofuels, and offset their carbon emissions on selected flights; yet, sustainability should not only be a topic of discussion when an aircraft is in the air but also when it’s on the ground. In just one year, a Boeing 777, B787, Airbus A330, and A350, burn […]

ACI World’s vice president for safety and operations, Thomas Romig, reflects on some operational safety considerations for airports in 2021. The last year has brought some significant changes to society as a whole and has had a huge impact on the aviation industry. The most significant of these impacts is the dramatic decrease in passengers […]

New research by the Airport Operators Association (AOA) and ABTA – The Travel Association have questioned the UK government’s new traffic light system for the resumption of international air travel from England. They warn that the cost of PCR testing for international travel in the UK is double that of testing in other European countries. […]

The road to recovery for airports starts at the intersection of health and security, writes Johnson Controls’ Ramsey Nuwar. Although it might not seem like it at the moment, the air travel industry can expect a strong rebound in passenger volumes this year, with a recent study finding that 70% of those surveyed plan to […]

VINCI Airports has won the 30-year concession to operate and develop seven airports in the north of Brazil – Manaus, Porto Velho, Rio Branco, Boa Vista, Cruzeiro do Sul, Tabatinga and Téfé. Considered the gateways to the Amazon region and neighbouring Brazilian states, the airports welcomed 4.7 million passengers between them in 2019, the bulk […]

New research by Amadeus indicates that 90% of travellers would be comfortable using a digital health passport for future travel. Indeed, the study, commissioned by Amadeus and delivered by Censuswide, claims that 41% of travellers were keen to book an international trip within six weeks of restrictions lifting. The study, says Amadeus, found that just […]

Allegiant Travel Company has announced plans to establish a base of operations at the South Terminal at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. The Las Vegas-based company will invest $75 million to establish the new base in Austin, creating at least 89 high-wage jobs and housing three Airbus A320 aircraft. The company, which focuses on linking […]

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has announced the expansion of its industry-leading plastic-free policy to prohibit the sale of any beverages in plastic bottles. In August 2019, SFO became the first airport in the world to prohibit the provision or sale of single-use water bottles in plastic or aseptic paper packaging. This policy has now […]

Leisure travel in America will push the US domestic airline industry to a COVID recovery by early 2022, according to a new report from consulting firm Oliver Wyman. “A year ago, we would have thought that a full domestic recovery in this timeframe for the US was almost impossible, but the combination of pent-up demand, economic […]

Airport World reviews some of the latest security developments and news stories from across the globe. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) has launched a pilot programme that uses innovative technology to provide social distancing information and assessment for customers at security checkpoints. The project uses Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology and sophisticated software […]

Despite today’s tough operating climate, airports continue to invest in new infrastructure to enhance their capabilities. Joe Bates takes a closer look at some of the most exciting recent developments. Recent announcements about a number of potentially game-changing infrastructure development projects in Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East shows that despite the continued […]

London City Airport (LCY) has renewed its commitment to supporting its local communities in East London with the launch of the London City Helpers programme. The new programme, delivered in partnership with the East London Business Alliance (ELBA) and with support from other community partners, will see the airport deliver bespoke engagement activities in the […]

Incheon International Airport, arguably the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) king of recent years, has become the first gateway to achieve a new Level 4 status in ACI’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation programme. Since ACI launched the world’s first Airport Customer Experience Accreditation programme in 2019, 45 airports around the world joined the programme to improve […]

Continuing to prioritise customer service and listening to the needs of passengers is more important than ever in these uncertain times, writes corporate affairs manager, Bojana Jeremic. With many borders still closed and travel restrictions in place, the recovery process and kick-starting travel is taking longer than we had anticipated. It is clear that people […]

ACI today announced that its world airport COVID-19 health measures data will now be displayed in Apple Maps, making it possible for travellers to more easily access airport health guidance and help prevent the spread of the pandemic. Now iPhone, iPad, and Mac users can simply search for an airport in Apple Maps and find […]

In 2019, the UK became the first major economy to put Net Zero carbon emissions into legislation, writes Atkins’ James Domone and Matt Wills. Aviation currently accounts for 12% of emissions from transport sources (with road vehicles amounting to 74%), and 2% of all global emissions. Refining accounts for 40% of the Green House Gas […]

ACI Europe has welcomed Swedavia’s announcement that all ten of its Swedish airports have achieved Net Zero CO2 emissions across all operations under their control – a world first. Swedavia thus also becomes the first company to deliver on the European airport industry pledge to become Net Zero by 2050 at the latest. Marking the […]

Hamburg Airport today admitted that the coronavirus pandemic has left deep scars in its balance sheet, revealing that the “unprecedented crisis” has resulted in a first-ever annual deficit of €113 million. And the German airport, which saw its passenger numbers drop by 73% to 4.56 million in 2020, notes that without a strict savings programme, […]

INTERPOL secretary general, Jürgen Stock, tells Airport World more about some of the key challenges facing it today and how the organisation works with local law enforcement agencies to help combat crime at airports. When, where and why was INTERPOL founded? The INTERPOL story began in 1914 when police and lawyers from 24 countries met […]

In the UK, a cross-party group of over sixty MPs and Peers have written to the Chancellor calling for the introduction of Arrivals duty free shops at British airports, international rail and ferry terminals. They claim the move would have a hugely positive economic impact for airports and duty free operators in the UK. To […]

A snapshot of the latest news from ACI’s World Business Partners. Grand Cayman’s airfield upgrade Work has been completed on the reconstruction and expansion of the airside infrastructure at Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands. According to the Stantec led design team, the major airfield upgrades are set to increase […]

New analysis from ACI World shows that despite some positive signs for recovery emerging, the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on airport revenues will still be deeply felt in 2021. According to its Advisory Bulletin: The impact of COVID-19 on the airport business and path to recovery published today, 4.7 billion fewer passengers or 47.5% […]

Amadeus has announced that it is to work even closer with ground handler and air service provider, dnata, in support of its drive for “greater standardisation” of the systems used across its global operations. As a result, Amadeus will continue to power dnata’s innovative centralised load control service for airlines at Dubai International Airport (SXB) […]

Airports and the aviation industry continue to go to extraordinary lengths to combat the health risks caused by COVID-19, writes Joe Bates. From deploying mobile medics, the opening of COVID-19 test centres and new cleaning regimes to embracing new industry health standards and the use of some of the most sophisticated technology on the planet, […]

Hong Kong International Airport is extending its relief package for the airport community for another two months to the end of May 2021, in view of the prolonged impact brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The continuing waiver or reduction of various fees for the aviation industry from April to May 2021 includes parking charges for […]

Passengers passing through Dubai International Airport (DXB) now have free access to Magzter’s collection of more than 7,000 leading magazines, newspapers, journals and comics, arguably making it the world’s first ‘smart reading airport’. A fully contactless and paperless digital experience – using geo-fencing satellite technology – the Magzter partnership enables visitors to download the latest […]

We report on some of the companies that are helping transform Nashville International Airport into an even more modern, passenger friendly gateway. BNA’s dynamic glass Nashville International Airport (BNA) is a major through-point and economic engine for the Middle Tennessee region. Its BNA Vision master plan is transforming the airport into a more modern, efficient […]

Helsinki and ten other Finavia operated airports in Finland are set to embrace cloud technology in a pioneering move to combat COVID-19 disruption and better equip them for future growth. According to IT partner, Amadeus, cloud solutions will help deliver an exceptional check-in and boarding experience at Finland’s gateways and accelerate innovations like contactless payment […]

Copenhagen Airport (CPH) and its airlines have announced that they have “struck an agreement” that they believe will provide the necessary commercial framework for a restart of traffic and the route network at the Danish gateway. The agreement sets out prices and incentives for flying to and from CPH over the coming years following the […]

Airport World considers whether taxi services using electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are the shape of things to come at the world’s airports. The UK government has awarded an industrial research grant to a consortium led by Atkins to look at the feasibility of introducing an air taxi service using electric vertical take-off […]

President and CEO, Doug Kreulen, tells Joe Bates why expansion and future traffic growth continue to be a key focus for Nashville International Airport. Nashville International Airport (BNA) is an airport with a plan, it aims to become one of the most modern gateways in the US and future large hub, and despite the impact […]

In a hugely pioneering initiative, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has successfully conducted the trial of digital health passes on a flight between Hong Kong and Los Angeles. It believes the move signifies its commitment to providing a seamless travel experience for passengers under the new normal as a result of COVID-19. Designed to provide […]

VIEW THE ISSUE HERE Theme: Safety & Security Airport report: Nashville Special report: Vertical take-off and landing taxis Plus: Airport design, IT innovation & People matters Carefully does it Airport World editor, Joe Bates, considers some of the health and safety challenges facing airports in this ‘safety and security’ themed issue. Nearly a year on […]

ACI World has today published new guidance for airports to help them prepare for restart and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on their operations. As the trajectory of recovery has been affected by new variants of COVID-19 and the new restrictions introduced by governments in response, the second edition of ACI World’s […]

ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, reflects on what lies ahead for the aviation industry in 2021 and beyond. It is safe to say that 2020 will go down as the most challenging year ever in the history of aviation. We have, of course, weathered many storms over the last few decades, but […]

Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) in the US and Cologne-Bonn Airport (CGN) in Germany have signed a co-operation agreement to mutually develop air cargo traffic between their two regions. According to the gateways, the new partnership will strengthen the knowledge sharing between these two strong cargo service airports and support their collective air cargo reach. […]

Hong Kong International Airport’s Sky Bridge, a 200-metre long airside bridge connecting Terminal 1 and the North Satellite Concourse (NSC), has received BEAM Plus New Buildings’ provisional gold rating from the Hong Kong Green Building Council. The green features of Sky Bridge recognised in the rating include optimisation of exterior lighting, use of sustainably-sourced construction […]

Munich Airport’s LabCampus innovation centre will shortly have a new tenant – one of the world’s leading technology companies in the autonomous driving sector, Argo AI, which is expected to test and develop vehicles on the site. Established in 2016 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the company has partnerships with US car manufacturer Ford and […]

Airports are accelerating their investment in technology to aid the aviation industry’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report issued today by ACI World. Based on the findings of a survey by IT provider SITA, airports have been agile in adapting to the changing health and safety requirements, focusing on automated and […]

Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs has opened a new art exhibit at New Chitose Airport as part of its ‘Culture Gate to Japan‘ initiative. Artworks by the creative group Naked, Inc. are exhibited at the airport, as well as on the web, with the aim of promoting the appeals of Japanese culture and sharing it with […]

Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) has opened a rapid testing lab for COVID-19 in a bid to facilitate the resumption of air travel and assist with quarantine tracking procedures. The new facility, opened by Abu Dhabi Airports in partnership with Pure Health and Tamouh Healthcare, is believed to be one of the region’s first PCR […]

Blackpool Airport has had no commercial traffic since March 2017 and that situation seems unlikely to change anytime soon, but its local council owners are so confident in its future that they have decided to take over the management of UK gateway. The decision, announced today, means that Blackpool Council’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Blackpool Airport Operations […]

Global ground handler, Swissport, has signed a three-year contract with IAG to provide services to its airlines serving Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BER). The new additions – British Airways, Iberia and Vueling – means that Swissport now provides ground handling services to 17 airlines at Germany’s new €6 billion capital city airport. A British Airways […]

Virgin Atlantic has celebrated International Women’s day by naming one of its planes ‘Lady Emmeline’ after Emmeline Pankhurst, the founder of the Suffragette movement and women’s rights activist. As the leader of the WSPU, Pankhurst’s political campaigning was instrumental in securing women in the UK the right to vote at the turn of the last […]

It is not going to be popular, but London’s Gatwick Airport is to go ahead with its decision to introduce a £5 charge for vehicles dropping off passengers directly outside its North Terminal. The UK gateway will introduce the charge from Monday, March 8, and describes it as “a new revenue stream to help protect […]

Tomorrow’s airports will need to be cleaner, quieter, and less reliant on ground-based infrastructure. Clare Williams Fannin spoke to Duncan Walker of Skyports to find out how the use of electric air-taxis can help them achieve these objectives. There can be little doubt that a journey to and from an airport can be challenging. Road […]

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) today welcomed the return of Emirates with the arrival of their first non-stop flight from Dubai in 11 months. The largest airline in the Middle East plans to operate four non-stop flights per week, using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Dubai based Emirates suspended operations at SFO on March 29, 2020, due […]

Pre-departure rapid testing that delivers results within 15 minutes is being trialled at Edinburgh Airport as part of recovery planning for aviation in Scotland. The week-long trial started today and uses tests that only require a saliva sample, meaning no nasal swab and a more positive testing experience. PocDoc and BioSure are running the trial, […]

ACI World today revealed the results of its annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) customer excellence survey, with 33 airports picking up ‘hygiene’ awards in the programme which was modified for 2020 to take into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the airport industry’s response to it. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, […]

Gatwick Airport’s CEO, Stewart Wingate, today reiterated his confidence in the airport’s ability to bounce back from the toughest year in its history and experience international passenger growth again from the summer. Wingate says: “It will come as no surprise that, like any other international airport, the negative impact of COVID-19 resulted in a financial […]

Cork Airport has welcomed the news that Lufthansa is to commence a twice-weekly Cork-Frankfurt service for Summer 2021, connecting the two cities for the first time in eighteen years. Lufthansa (operated by Lufthansa CityLine) will operate a Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft with 75 seats on board – 15 Business Class and 60 Economy Class – offering […]

Autonomous vehicle specialist, Aurrigo, has launched the world’s first automated baggage dolly to the market after a successful trial at London Heathrow two years ago. The company was approached by International Airlines Group (IAG) to use its driverless expertise to develop the world’s first autonomous baggage carrying dolly. The trial (pictured above) started in March […]

Oslo Airport has welcomed a new electrically operated de-icing unit, the Vestergaard Elephant e-BETA, for the final few weeks of winter. In a first of its kind trial in Europe, the airport believes that the Menzies Aviation operated vehicle will improve the performance of its aircraft de-icing operation and lower its carbon footprint. Indeed, initial tests […]

The COVID-19 pandemic refocused IT spending priorities for airlines and airports in 2020 as their revenues plunged and the industry faced new health and operational requirements needed to keep flying, according to SITA. Among the key findings from SITA’s 2020 Air Transport IT Insights, published today, was an accelerated investment in automated passenger processing focusing on […]

London Heathrow today revealed that the airport lost £2 billion in 2020 as its passenger numbers slumped from 80.9 million in 2019 to just 22.1 million last year. It notes that the “devastating impact of COVID-19” led to its overall revenue plummeting 62% to £1.2 billion and adjusted EBITDA falling to £270 million. The UK […]

Lagardère Travel Retail has been awarded the concession to operate 20 F&B outlets at Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in partnership with Chilean company Global Group Corporation (GGCorp). It will be Lagardère Travel Retail’s first foray into South America and Chile, a market it says offers “remarkable growth prospects” for its future regional development. […]

Zurich Airport’s new 30,000sqm multi-purpose complex, The Circle, features over 30,000 components installed by Siemens that ensure that it is one of the most sustainably designed and energy efficient buildings in Switzerland. The new facility is expected to become one of the most popular attractions at the gateway due to its host of shops, restaurants, […]

Passenger traffic and revenue at Europe’s airports this year is likely to be around 30% to 50% down on 2019 levels, according to a new report by S&P Global Ratings. The global ratings agency’s forecast is based the new travel restrictions implemented to curb the spread of fast-spreading COVID-19 variants, which it claims have “dealt […]

LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP) has announced the elimination of single-use plastic straws in the F&B outlets at New York LaGuardia’s Terminal B. LGP is the manager and developer of Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport, and this move comes as part of its commitment to creating a terminal that combines the best of what New York […]

Fentress Architects has announced that the 2021 Fentress Global Challenge (FGC), its annual competition to design the airport of the future is open for entries. Now in its eighth year, the international design competition challenges students to envisage a forward-thinking concept for an airport of the future, and in turn, stimulate innovative design in terminal […]

Air travel has undoubtably been one of the hardest-hit industries during the COVID-19 pandemic. With flight cancellations, grounded fleets and border closures, IATA has estimated that airlines will lose more than $300 billion due to the outbreak. Across the industry, there have been unparalleled job cuts from major airlines across the globe, while the European […]

Christchurch Airport is citing lessons learnt from the earthquakes, extensive changes it made to its business across 2015-2019 and its preparation for events like a pandemic, for its ability to pivot to a domestic operating model that can essentially break even while the pandemic’s impact on the borders evolves. The airport has revealed that it […]

The new security checkpoints at Charlotte Douglas International Airport feature Vanderlande’s automated screening lanes. As part of a $600 million terminal expansion project, the North Carolina gateway decided to consolidate its five security checkpoints into three high-efficiency checkpoints, all equipped with Automated Screening Lanes (ASLs) to increase throughput and enhance security. Vanderlande was selected through […]

Mexican airport operator, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (GAP), is to invest more than $500 million on upgrading Guadalajara’s Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport. The plan includes an additional runway and new terminal building as well as, in the short/mid-term, a radical new $302 million redesign of the commercial space in the existing building. The […]

Miami International Airport has been awarded $39.5 million in COVID-19 relief funding from the federal government, in the second round of airport grants from the Federal Aviation Administration. The second grant follows $207 million in funding that MIA received last April from the federal government’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Airport Grant […]

Vanderlande has joined Amazon and Global Optimism in signing The Climate Pledge, showcasing its ambition on sustainability and commitment to achieving a net-zero carbon footprint by 2040 – ten years ahead of The Paris Agreement. With this in mind, Vanderlande has promised that it will routinely report on its greenhouse gas emissions, implement decarbonisation strategies, […]

Frankfurt Airport today unveiled its new state-of-the-art fire rescue complex at CargoCity South. Located on a 2.1-hectare site, the facility is home to a fire rescue station, Firefighting Training Centre, an educational area, workshops and offices, as well as rest and exercise rooms. An integrated training course allows duty firefighters wearing full-gear with respirator masks to […]

The Turkish government has agreed to extend Fraport’s management concession for Antalya Airport by two years to the end of 2026 and to defer its annual concession fee for 2022 to 2024. The global airport operator says that the agreement will help the Fraport TAV Antalya joint venture to relaunch Antalya Airport on a steady […]

Dubai International Airport (DXB) today revealed that it handled 25.9 million passengers in 2020, the figure being boosted by traffic recovery in the second half of a tough year. The total meant that the world’s busiest international airport welcomed 70% fewer passengers than it did in 2019. According to operator, Dubai Airports, DXB’s closing data […]

Europe’s aviation sector today unveiled its flagship sustainability initiative, Destination 2050 – A Route to Net Zero European Aviation. Driven by a new, independent report, it is said to provide a vision and path for meaningful CO2 emission reduction efforts in Europe and globally. This follows recent climate commitments announced by the sector last November in […]

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has hired The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP and Woods Bagot as joint project design leaders to create a dynamic, performative, and sustainable facility expansion of Concourse C. Airport operators, the Port of Seattle, describes Woods Bagot as a global firm with a “world-class aviation portfolio”, and Miller Hull, as an “internationally recognised […]

Closing the data gaps to automate airport operations is vital to efficiency post COVID, writes Thorben Burghardt, ADB SAFEGATE’s vice president for gate solutions. The new oil of the 21st century is a well-known metaphor used to express the increasing value generated by data. In a recent study, IDC and Qlik have taken it a […]

Lagardère Travel Retail is set to expand its footprint in Africa after being awarded the concession to operate two duty free stores in the new terminal at Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere International Airport. It and local partner, Bevco Limited, will build and operate the outlets in the brand new Terminal 3 at the gateway to capital […]

Finnish airport operator, Finavia, and Napapiirin Energia ja Vesi (Neve) have entered into an agreement on the heating of Rovaniemi Airport with carbon-neutral district heating. “Our objective is to achieve zero net emissions in 2030, and we continue on our journey towards emissions-free airports,” enthuses Finavia’s senior vice president for infrastructure, sustainability, safety and compliance, […]

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) in the UK is set to become the first regional gateway in the country to have its own hydrogen refuelling station which it will use to power its fleet of ground support vehicles. ITM Power, the largest operator of Hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK, is partnering with Leeds Bradford on […]

Rotterdam The Hague Airport, SkyNRG and Climeworks claim that they are taking the next step in realising Zenid – a demonstration plant producing fully circular sustainable aviation fuel directly from air. Global energy company Uniper has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support Zenid with engineering and operating expertise. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from […]

ACI World has today revealed those airports that have continued to prioritise listening and engaging with customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘The Voice of the Customer’ recognition is for airports which demonstrated significant efforts in gathering passenger feedback through the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) programme to help them better understand their customers during the pandemic. […]

The pandemic caused obvious disruptions to the travel industry in 2020, but perhaps less obvious, are the lingering and serious emotional impacts on travellers. According to the New York Times, some 74% of travellers report feeling anxious about traveling due to COVID-19, which is a worryingly high figure for the aviation industry. So how are […]

India’s GMR Group, a global airport operator and aviation infrastructure developer, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus to explore collaboration opportunities across aviation services, technologies and innovation. The agreement will see GMR Group and Airbus team up to explore potential synergies in several strategic areas of aviation services including maintenance, components, training, […]

Digital age Terri Morrissey and Richard Plenty share their thoughts on the benefits and drawbacks of new technology when it comes to meeting up and doing business. We may be in the middle of a pandemic, but we have rarely been so busy! During September and October, we delivered three separate ‘virtual’ intensive five-day ACI […]

Miami International Airport (MIA) handled a record 2.32 million tons of cargo in 2020 – 57,382 more than in the previous year. The Florida gateway finished the year exceptionally strong with an average of 210,000 tons in October, November and December, making them the airport’s busiest ever months for cargo volumes. MIA also ended 2020 […]

Hong Kong International Airport is to launch COVID-19 testing schemes for airport staff who are subject to the requirements stipulated in the government’s compulsory testing notice issued today. The Hong Kong Government’s notice requires that everyone employed at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) or providing a hired service in the airport area between now and […]

Autonomous cleaning robots area proven and effective weaponthat airports can deploy in thebattle against the pandemic,writes Brain Corp’s Michel Spruijt. The outbreak of COVID-19 has forced travel authorities and airport managers to re-think terminal operations with a wide array of new technologies being introduced to maximise traveller safety. They include autonomous cleaning robots, which have […]

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has become the first large airport in the US to offer touchless, automated photo identification scanners at all of the airport’s security screening checkpoints. According to LAX operator Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), the move reduces contact with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and will enhance the passenger experience. TSA […]

The UK government has unveiled plans to give airports in England up to £8 million each to help get them through the next few months as COVID-19 continues to bring traffic to a virtual standstill across the globe. Under the government scheme opening today, commercial airports and ground handlers could receive a maximum of £8 […]

Work has been completed on the reconstruction and expansion of the airside infrastructure at Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands. According to the Stantec led design team, the major airfield upgrades are set to increase safety and efficiency at the island’s “most vital piece of infrastructure” as it serves as […]

Ferrovial Airports has announced the appointment of former LaGuardia Airport CEO, Lysa Scully, as an independent senior advisor to its US division. Scully, who runs her own US advisory firm, had a distinguished 33-year career as an innovative leader at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. As former CEO of LaGuardia, the […]

Munich Airport today unveiled the latest new addition to its ground handling fleet, an electric powered tug capable of towing wide-body aircraft and achieving a maximum speed of 32 kilometres per hour. Used for de-icing and aircraft towing at Munich Airport, the gateway’s new aircraft tow tractor is equipped with the latest 700V lithium-ion battery […]

Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport has double cause to celebrate this month, recently earning Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) and completing the €2 million upgrade of its central area in partnership with duty free operator, Dufry. The new-look central area is entered immediately after the passport control and includes an expanded and modernised duty-free shop, immediately followed […]

Duncan Hand, Siemens’ business development manager for digital airports, considers how aviation can navigate its way through today’s turbulence. In the last 15 years, we have witnessed the disruption of many industries. The hotel industry by Airbnb, transportation by Uber and retail by Amazon. The aviation industry has now been disrupted by a virus. What […]

Aviation faces a slow and uncertain recovery in 2021 and, without government policy support and assistance, continues to face potential collapse, ACI World warned today. ACI World’s most recent COVID-19 impact analysis revealed the global airport industry experienced a reduction of more than six billion passengers by the end of 2020, representing a decline of […]

​​​​​A consortium led by Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, has been awarded an industrial research grant by the UK Government to look at the feasibility of introducing an air taxi service using electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The project is specifically looking at the possibility of introducing the new air taxi […]

Location intelligence can redefine passenger journeys in today’s COVID-19 world, writes Esri’s global transportation industry director, Terry Bills. Air travel in the best of times has always had its unique challenges, stresses and unknowns for both the occasional as well as the business traveller. Between guessing the travel time to the airport, finding parking and […]

The new terminal at Bermuda’s LF Wade International Airport certainly has the ‘wow’ factor based on the early feedback from passengers and staff. “Really beautiful”, “Fabulous and spacious”, “Absolutely awesome” and “It looks like a world class airport” were just some of the comments given by passengers on the new terminal’s opening day last month. […]

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport has launched a pilot programme that uses innovative technology to provide social distancing information and assessment for customers at security checkpoints. The project uses Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology and sophisticated software from partner CrowdVision to monitor, analyse and report on physical distancing at the airport’s B security checkpoint. […]

Vienna Airport is optimistic that its passenger numbers will enjoy a “strong upswing” in the second half of the year as the vaccination drive to combat COVID-19 begins to have a positive impact on air travel. Like most other airports, the Austrian gateway experienced a grim 2020 with the pandemic causing traffic levels to decline […]

Global ground handler and air services provider, dnata, has opened a new state-of-the-art cargo complex at Manchester Airport in the UK. The new £30 million dnata City North facility covers 150,000 sqft and will allow the company to significantly expand and consolidate its Manchester operations. Well-situated for ease of airfield access, the purpose-built on-airport facility […]

Templemere PR’s Clare Williams Fannin takes a look at what airports can do to respond to changing passenger demands for retail, F&B and lounge services across their terminals. Non-aeronautical revenues have long been an important line in the airport budget. Closed shops and empty restaurants are clearly not good news for any airport operator. But […]

AGS Airports, which owns and manages Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, is to lead a consortium that will develop and trial the use of drones to distribute medical supplies. If ongoing trials are successful, it will become the UK’s first national drone distribution network to use drones to transport essential medicines, blood, organs and other […]

The world’s biggest airport group comprising gateways operated by France’s Groupe ADP and Turkey’s TAV Airports have signed an ‘Airports for Trust’ charter, announcing their shared ambition to build an even more sustainable and responsible airport industry. The airports span the world and range from hubs like Paris CDG in Europe to Queen Alia in […]

Design changes at airports can support and speed up the safe return of air travel, writes Populous Americas’ aviation market leader and principal, Geoffrey Ax. Whether it’s to see family, clients or simply treat cabin fever with a change of scenery, one thing is clear, people want to travel again. Scratching this itch requires some […]

The Emirates Group today rolled out a COVID-19 vaccination programme for its substantial UAE based workforce in co-ordination with the Dubai Health Authority and the Ministry of Health and Prevention. The inoculation drive began this morning, with priority being placed on its frontline aviation workforce, including cabin crew, flight deck and other operationally focused roles. […]

ICAO has revealed that airline seating capacity fell by around 50% in 2020 as the number of passengers boarding flights dropped from 4.5 billion in 2019 to just 1.8 billion passengers last year. That adds up to a staggering financial loss to the industry of around $370 billion, says ICAO, which noted that airports and air […]

We shine the spotlight on a handful of technology driven initiatives designed to improve the operational efficiency of airports and hasten their recovery from the global pandemic. Reinventing the management of airfields Jacobs has developed a new proprietary cloud-based platform designed to enable the effective asset management of airfields. Indeed, based on the success of […]

Atkins’ future borders technical lead, John Drever, explains how data modelling can reduce queuing times at airports. As transit infrastructure like airports, train stations and borders become busier and more complex, our approach to designing public spaces with security in mind takes on another dimension. However, advances in technology can make these spaces easier to […]

Bahrain International Airport today announced that its long awaited new $1.1 billion terminal will open for business on January 28. According to Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), moving operations to the new state-of-the-art facility is a major step towards achieving the Kingdom’s ambitious Economic Vision 2030. The vision is based on diversification and sustainability goals and […]

Eight of Norway’s biggest airports will soon boast new customer experience feedback technology provided by HappyorNot. Its  Smiley Touch touchscreen terminals will help airport operator, Avinor, collect customer feedback at security checkpoints at the gateways, which include Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger. According to HappyorNot, with this in-moment, actionable customer experience feedback data, “Avinor’s management and […]

Most frequent fliers are already familiar with the concept of offsetting the climate emissions caused by their travel, writes, Eron Bloomgarden. At checkout, you are offered the opportunity to balance your portion of the flight’s emissions by supporting some sort of emission reduction programme, like tree planting. Such programmes are voluntary and have proved popular […]

Brisbane Airport’s efforts to combat COVID-19 and ensure that it is a safe environment for passengers and staff have led to it being accredited in ACI’s Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) programme. The ACI AHA is a global benchmark, independently assessing an airport’s alignment with ACI Aviation Business Restart and Recovery Guidelines, the International Civil Aviation […]

Nashville International Airport’s new Concourse D has achieved LEED Silver certification, which Fentress Architects notes highlights the project’s sustainable, wellness-oriented design and construction process. This distinction makes Concourse D one of only five newly constructed airport facilities in the United States, and one of nine airport facilities worldwide, to earn LEED Silver under the US […]

Cork Airport, Ireland’s fastest-growing gateway in 2019, today revealed that it lost more than two million passengers in 2020 as a result of COVID-19. The 80% decline in passenger numbers meant that just 530,000 people used the country’s second-largest airport last year. Traffic declined across all the geographical markets served by Cork Airport. Passenger volumes […]

Rome’s Fiumicino and Ciampino airports have become the first in the world to successfully complete the new Airport Health Measures Audit Programme. Developed by ACI and Bureau Veritas, the programme is designed to support the airport industry’s recovery from COVID-19 by addressing specific risks and reassuring passengers through an on-site audit. Fiumicino and Ciampino – […]

Miami International Airport (MIA) experienced its busiest day since the pandemic began when it handled 90,000 passengers on January 3. The total helped ensure that the Florida gateway welcomed more than 1.1 million passengers during the 17-day winter holiday travel period from Monday, December 21 to Wednesday, January 6, 2021. In December, MIA averaged 278 […]

German air navigation service provider, DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH, today revealed it handled less than half the traffic it normally does in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It recorded a total of 1.46 million take-offs, landings and overflights across German airspace in 2020 under instrument flight rules, and warns that it is […]

Airport World editor, Joe Bates, turns the spotlight on some innovative and pioneering IT projects across the globe. Denmark’s capital city gateway, Copenhagen Airport (CPH), is to form its own IT company to sell digital services to airports worldwide. Operator, Copenhagen Airports, has joined forces with Netcompany to form Smarter Airports A/S, which it says […]

Saudi Arabia’s planned new Red Sea airport is to be managed by daa international, the international business subsidiary of the operator of Ireland’s Dublin and Cork airports. The Red Sea Project is a major development being built over 28,000 square kilometres on Saudi Arabia’s west coast to create a new luxury tourism destination. The first […]

According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and exceeding its expectations, Orlando International Airport (MCO) has started 2021 as the busiest airport in the US for departures. TSA traffic figures show that for eight straight days, from Sunday, December 27, until Sunday, January 3, MCO enjoyed more passenger departures than any other airport in the […]

New analysis from EUROCONTROL reveals that COVID-19 led to a staggering €56.2 billion in net losses for Europe’s airlines, airports and air service navigation in 2020. The losses are a result of 1.7 billon fewer passengers and 6.1 million less flights than in 2019, with traffic between Europe and the rest of the world down […]

Dubai Airports is gearing up for an upsurge in the number of passengers expected to pass through Dubai International (DXB) over the next few days. It is estimated that 545,000 passengers will use DXB between January 1-7, with throughput peaking on January the 2nd and 3rd when more than 78,000 travellers are expected to depart […]

Dublin Airport will end a difficult year on a high after attaining carbon neutral status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme. The gateway is the first airport in Ireland to achieve carbon neutral status and has done so following an extensive programme of activities to reduce and offset its carbon emissions in recent years. The […]

ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, reflects on new technologies and revolutionising the airport experience after COVID-19. Despite the current challenges, airports are examining all aspects of their operations as they seek to recover from the impact of the current crisis, foster confidence in air travel, and reassure passengers that health and safety […]

Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport, which opened its “new and improved” Terminal C at the start of 2020, has ended a difficult but eventful year by inaugurating its newly reconstructed Runway-1. The runway has two new high-speed-exit taxiways, which according to the Russian gateway, ensure that it has the terminal facilities and airfield capacity to handle […]

Andrew O’Brian, president and CEO of Corporación Quiport, tells Joe Bates about an eventful and challenging year for Quito International Airport. While 2020 has been a tough year for Quito International Airport and operator, Corporación Quiport, a string of firsts for Latin America and breaking ground on a new cargo complex means that it has […]

VIEW THE ISSUE HERE Theme: Information Technology Airport report: Quito Special report: The retail/F&B challenge Plus: Airport Design, People Matters & WBP News Better times ahead Airport World editor, Joe Bates, reflects on a traumatic year for the world and the important role IT will play in aviation’s recovery from the pandemic. After the year […]

Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) will hand over the operation of its lounges, fast track and meet and assist services to Plaza Premium Group on January 1, 2021. Under the terms of the concession, Plaza Premium Group has agreed to invest in a series of enhancements and service and facility upgrades at the airport […]

Global airport operator, Fraport, is to issue a request for proposals (RFP) to assess market interest in the construction of a sports/multi-functional hall on a vacant plot of land at Frankfurt Airport. The project is part of a larger urban development initiative with the 30,000sqm plot of land earmarked for the project centrally located behind […]

London City Airport (LCY) is celebrating the completion of the construction of a full-length parallel taxiway and eight new stands capable of handling larger and more fuel-efficient aircraft. The new additions were the key projects of its City Airport Development Programme (CADP) and ensure that the airfield infrastructure at LCY has undergone a significant transformation […]

ACI Europe’s latest traffic analysis shows that 6,000 air routes previously operated from Europe’s airports have been lost to the COVID-19 crisis. The routes, which have been axed by the airlines this year and not resumed, expose “the systemic collapse of the aviation network and air connectivity due to the COVID-19 crisis,” according to ACI […]

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport’s environmental efforts include becoming a carbon neutral airport by 2030 and now turning used cooking oil from its F&B outlets into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). DFW recently set the ambitious goal of reducing its carbon emissions to net zero by 2030. To achieve this, the Texas gateway looked at its waste […]

Whether it ever happens or not is another matter, but a third runway at London’s Heathrow Airport is now potentially back on the agenda following the Supreme Court ruling that the government’s decision to approve its expansion was lawful. Today’s ruling overturns a decision by three leading judges earlier this year that former Transport Secretary, Chris […]

London Gatwick Airport is expecting to see a significant increase in passengers travelling over the Christmas period, with up to 200 flights a day forecast to operate to and from the gateway, with top destinations including Dublin, Geneva and Tenerife. While typically Gatwick would normally see more than 700 flights a day during this time, […]

The travel industry has experienced unprecedented setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic, with US airlines reporting a 65% year-over-year reduction in scheduled service passengers in September, writes Ramsey Nuwar. For airports, this means a steep reduction in non-aeronautical revenues usually generated by passenger dining, shopping and parking. While the industry is seeing promising improvements in passenger […]

India’s planned new Delhi Noida International Airport will boast a passenger terminal designed by architects Grimshaw, Nordic – Office of Architecture, Haptic and Indian practice STUP. The team was selected from a shortlist of three by Zurich Airport International for “demonstrating a proficiency in balancing passenger comfort with sustainability, and timeless design with flexibility for […]

Swedish airport operator, Swedavia, has secured a €49 million loan from the Nordic Investment Bank to help it through COVID-19. The seven-year SEK 500 million loan agreement is a COVID-19 response loan aimed at facilitating financing for industries heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. “The loan helps to further strengthen our liquidity at a time […]

Brisbane Airport (BNE) is set to welcome more than 30,000 daily passengers tomorrow for the first time since March 16, declaring the milestone a clear sign that domestic travel is recovering. Specifically, on Friday, the airport’s Domestic Terminal will see more than 16,000 arrivals and 14,000 departing passengers from a total of 309 flights. Off the back of interstate borders re-opening, […]

ACI World has published its fifth COVID-19 economic impact analysis revealing the devastating effect on the airport industry and the prospects for recovery. The Advisory Bulletin, The impact of COVID-19 on the airport business, reveals the global airport industry will record a reduction of more than six billion passengers by the end of 2020 compared […]

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), which is owned and operated by the Port of Seattle, is one of the fastest-growing large hub airports in North America where over the past five years, passenger traffic has grown 41%. Indeed, in 2019, SEA was the eighth busiest airport in the US serving 51.8 million passengers a year and […]

Aviation provides huge benefits to society, but the industry has recognised the importance of reducing carbon emissions and together have agreed a number of low carbon goals, writes Gigi Yuen, Air bp’s global carbon neutral leader. These include carbon neutral growth from 2020, and halving total carbon emissions by 2050, relative to 2005 levels. There […]

London City Airport today published its new master plan which sets out the long-term vision for how it can grow in a sustainable and responsible way, supporting London’s recovery from COVID-19. The publication of the master plan follows a 16-week consultation carried out in summer 2019. All comments received from local residents, stakeholders and passengers […]

Alitalia and Rome airport operator, Aeroporti di Roma (ADR), have announced that from Tuesday, all passengers travelling on one of the three weekly flights to and from New York must present a certification proving that they have tested negative for COVID-19, carried out 48 hours before the flight, or take the antigen test directly at […]

US firm Surfacedesign has won an award for its landscape architecture and urban planning for Auckland International Airport in New Zealand. “Because 75% of New Zealand’s visitors land in Auckland, airport management wanted to highlight the country’s historic land-use practices at and around the terminal,” says the San Francisco based company’s co-founding partner and Auckland […]

SITA’s vice president for border management, Jeremy Springall, explains how technology will play a key role in aviation’s recovery from COVID-19 by helping protect ‘travel bubbles’ from popping. In 2020, new vocabulary has seeped into the global consciousness. From ‘new normal’ to the more practical, yet equally disliked, ‘social distancing’, the additions to this year’s […]

The opposition to quarantine measures and other travel restrictions appears to be gathering pace with ACI Europe and a number of other international aviation associations today urging European governments to abolish them. The calls follow new Recommendations published by EASA and the European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control (ECDC), which unequivocally rejects their use […]

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has introduced a cloud based data sharing platform for cargo customers that it is confident will ensure “seamless transactions across the supply chain”. Over time, says the Texas gateway, this will include freight forwarders, shippers, ground handling agents, 3PLs, airlines, US Customs and Border Protection, and trucking companies – empowering […]

Helsinki Airport’s COVID-19 sniffer dogs, on duty daily to help prevent the spread of the pandemic, have received Special Hero Dog Awards from the Finnish Kennel Club. Trained to do their jobs by Wise Nose, to date the four enthusiastic new members of airport have sniffed samples taken from more than 2,000 passengers. And on Wednesday, […]

London City Airport (LCY) today announced TIPA as the winners of its Sustainable Security Bag Challenge. According to the airport, TIPA were able to provide it with a product made from fully transparent materials, aligned to regulatory standards, and can be composted at home by London City passengers or disposed as food waste at the […]

Atkins has been working on a major facelift to Terminal 1 at Dublin Airport under plans that have been lodged this month with Fingal County Council. The design will replace the core façade and roof with a new modern, energy efficient envelope that will completely transform the external appearance of the terminal, giving it a […]

Cambodia’s Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanouk airports have been accredited in ACI’s Airport Health Accreditation programme. The gateways are key assets of VINCI Airports and their accreditation is in line with its strategy of demonstrating that all the airports in its global network are fully aligned with industry best practices designed to protect the […]

People sustainability Terri Morrissey and Richard Plenty share their thoughts on sustainability and how building a sustainable future for airports requires investment in people. Sustainability has been defined by the Brundland Commission as the “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. In […]

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has become the first airport in India to deploy Internet of Things (IoT) enabled smart baggage trolleys that allow operator, GHIAL, to track them in real-time and ensure that there is always enough available to meet demand. The airport has deployed a LoRa (Long Range) IOT platform for its entire […]

Copenhagen Airport’s operator today revealed that 380 staff are to begin sharing jobs in a bid to reduce further redundancies as a result of the downturn in traffic caused by COVID-19. With traffic currently at less than 10% of normal levels, Copenhagen Airports has just completed negotiations for its second cost-cutting round in only three […]

Rome Fiumicino is set to become the first airport in Europe to activate ‘COVID-tested’ safe air corridors on flights coming from the US, ending the need for passengers to quarantine on arrival, according to operator Aeroporti di Roma (ADR). ADR, which believes that “it is necessary to assess and implement new and additional control systems […]

The latest news from ACI’s World Business Partners. Time to build? Carrie Shaeffer, Swinerton’s vice president and national director of aviation considers the challenge of building up aviation’s built environment in North America. Consumer confidence is paramount to the long-term financial sustainability of airlines and airports. After all, there is no silver bullet when it […]

ACI World has signed an exclusive partnership with Routes that is designed to help airports recover from the most challenging period the aviation industry. It is hoped that the formal agreement between the two organisations will provide platforms and guidance for airports at a world level, recognising the vital role they will play in driving […]

Christchurch Airport has taken a major step forward in its commitment to fight against climate change, becoming the first airport in the Asia-Pacific region and in the world to reach Level 4 Transformation status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme. The New Zealand gateway believes that the high achievement is evidence of its continued efforts […]

Etihad Airways is trialling the the use of facial biometrics to check in cabin crew at its Crew Briefing Centre at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The trial will use facial recognition technology provided by SITA to identify and authenticate crew members, allowing them to complete check-in procedures and mandatory pre-flight safety and security questions digitally […]

According to booking platform Omio, Madrid Barajas is Europe’s most “passenger friendly” capital city airport based on a study of 30 gateways across the continent. The study ranked Madrid Barajas (MAD) top for its level of comfort and passenger-friendliness after assessing each individual airport’s facilities that included shops, restaurants and other F&B outlets. Omio states […]

A handful of architects and consulting companies consider how COVID-19 will impact on the use and future design of airport terminals. Architect: Ricondo Risk, resilience and flexibility Airport operators are looking to the industry for guidance on how future best practices will evolve to promote increased passenger safety, maintain operational efficiency and capacity, and accommodate […]

The ACI Online Learning Centre (OLC) has launched a new Security for Airport Executives course for executives and managers who require an awareness and understanding of airport security and have a shared responsibility for creating an effective security culture at their airport. The OLC is one of the world’s leading aviation online training providers supporting […]

It will cost money to use, but London Gatwick and ExpressTest today announced the opening of a brand-new COVID-19 screening centre at the airport. The site, located within the airport’s Long Stay Car Park at the South Terminal, will offer a fast and accurate and lab-analysed PCR swab test. It will be available for both […]

AMPAP administrator Pierre Coutu, reflects on the launch, history and success of ACI-ICAO’s flagship airport management training programme. The Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme (AMPAP) is a joint ACI-ICAO initiative that offers a unique executive development curriculum to airport management professionals and stakeholders. The programme covers all the functional areas of the airport business, promotes […]

ACI World’s senior director for sustainability, environmental protection and legal affairs, Juliana Scavuzzi, explains why sustainability and environmental protection must remain a priority despite today’s challenges. The aviation sector is currently facing two major challenges: to navigate and survive the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 in the short-term; and, to keep its long-term commitments regarding climate […]

It’s not all doom and gloom out there as LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP) has announced the opening of the eagerly awaited state-of-the-art water feature in the brand new Arrivals and Departures Hall at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B. LGP is the private entity managing and redeveloping the new terminal. The Arrivals and Departures Hall opened earlier […]

Star Alliance has completed development of what it calls “an interoperable biometric identity and identification platform” that it says will significantly improve the travel experience for its frequent flyers. According to the airline group, the Star Alliance Biometrics platform advances the ability of member airlines to deliver a seamless customer journey, while strengthening loyalty value […]

ACI Europe president, Jost Lammers, has acknowledged that emerging news of an effective vaccine gives reason for hope. However, this cautious optimism was delivered with a caveat – that airports along with the rest of the aviation sector cannot simply wait out the inevitable time challenges of safety confirmation and herd immunity. Delivering his keynote […]

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has introduced biometric boarding for all passengers on departing international flights. According to the Florida gateway, its new system delivers a touchless boarding experience whilst complying with US Customs & Border Protection Agency (CBP) requirements for all international travellers to biometrically validate they have departed the country. Developed in partnership with […]

ACI World today issued a timely reminder that sustainability should be at the core of the recovery plan for aviation, noting that climate change is a global challenge that requires worldwide collaboration and action. A resolution issued by the ACI World Annual General Assembly emphasises that climate change, adaptation, and resilience should be included in […]

Airport World shines the spotlight on a handful of pioneering sustainability initiatives in the UK, US and Germany. In the UK, AGS Airports is trialling the use of oxo-biodegradable 100ml security bags at Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports and believes the move could remove more than two million single-use plastic bags annually across the group. […]

Abu Dhabi International Airport is trialling a new enhanced ‘Smart Travel’ system, which it is confident will “shorten queues and streamline processes throughout the airport to deliver a smoother and more seamless passenger experience”. Developed by airport operator, Abu Dhabi Airports, in partnership with ConvergentAI and powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), the new system is […]

ACI World has issued a resolution at is World Annual General Assembly declaring that airport slot allocation policies should support the recovery of air transport. Airport connectivity, it notes, is essential for the recovery of air transport, and will be a key driver of the wider global economic recovery, which is why it is urging […]

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has held a topping out ceremony to celebrate the securing of the final beam for Phase 1 of its $1.86 billion Sky Way transformation project to modernise, upgrade and connect he Tom Bradley International Terminal with terminals 2 and 3. “LAX is a central pillar of our economic strength — […]

Global airport operator, Fraport, today confirmed that COVID-19 continues to badly hit traffic figures at airports across its network. Just 1.1 million passengers passed through Frankfurt Airport (FRA) In October 2020, for example, a significant 83.4% down on the same month a year ago. The total means that FRA’s cumulative traffic during the January-to-October 2020 […]

ACI World’s economics director, Patrick Lucas, considers the financial challenges facing airports and the policy levers needed to support aviation’s recovery amidst the pandemic. Airports are an integral part of the aviation ecosystem, but they currently face a crisis that they are not financially set-up to experience: a sudden and prolonged collapse in traffic levels. […]

The three global airline alliances, oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance, have joined ACI World in announcing their support for ICAO’s second-phase Council on Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) report. The airline groups are urging governments to implement the report guidelines for passenger testing protocols, as well as the adoption of digital health pass technology, so […]

ACI Asia-Pacific welcomes the implementation of a quarantine-free air travel bubble between Hong Kong SAR and Singapore. It claims that the arrangement, open to all types of travellers, is a much-needed progressive step towards recovery of the sector. “This first-of-a-kind arrangement is a leading example of a risk-based approach that balances the risk of virus […]

What lessons in responsiveness and resilience can airports, airlines and architects draw from the current crisis? Robert Chicas, HOK’s senior principal and director of aviation + transportation, investigates. It’s impossible to overstate the impact COVID-19 has had on the aviation industry. At the time of writing, the virus has resulted in the cancellation of 7.5 […]

Munich Airport subsidiary, AeroGround, has become the biggest ground handler at Germany’s new Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). The addition of the Lufthansa Group and Eurowings as clients means that AeroGround Berlin GmbH is the dominant ground handling company at the newly opened gateway. Simon Batt-Nauerz, managing director of AeroGround Berlin GmbH, says: “We are all looking […]

The Adani Group has officially taken over responsibility for operating three Airports Authority of India (AAI) managed airports. The company, which harbours ambitions to become a key player in the Indian market, added Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPI Airport) to its airport network at the weekend. The move follows the addition of Mangaluru […]

The Canadian government has revealed that it is developing a package of assistance to help the nation’s airlines, airports and aerospace sector through the COVID-19 crisis. “A strong and competitive air transport industry is vital for Canada’s economy and the wellbeing of Canadians,” reads a statement issued by Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, […]

Glasgow Airport has scooped the International Safety Award from the British Safety Council in recognition of its commitment to keeping its workers and workplace healthy and safe. The airport is one of 87 organisations to win a Distinction in the 2020 International Safety Awards, which are health and safety’s most prestigious scheme. They recognise organisations […]

Amadeus Airport IT’s senior vice president for strategy and marketing, Iyad Hindiyeh, explains why he believes we should be preparing for the ‘uberization’ of airport services. Over the past decade the way we communicate, shop, get around and are entertained has arguably been transformed by a handful companies such as Uber, Amazon, Facebook and Netflix. […]

Dublin Airport’s Terminal 1 is to undergo a major facelift under plans that have been lodged with Fingal County Council. The core façade and the roof of the terminal are to be replaced with a new modern, energy efficient structure that will completely transform the external appearance of Terminal 1 and give it a new […]

The COVID-19 pandemic is without doubt the worst crisis the aviation industry has ever faced and could permanently change the way we travel, writes Armando Brunini, CEO and general manager of SEA Milan Airports. Like other airport operators, SEA Milan Airports, responded to the pandemic by implementing a number of measures aimed at safeguarding the […]

Airport director, Jesus Saenz, tells Joe Bates why he believes that it is only a matter of time before growth is back on the agenda at San Antonio International Airport. With such a strong military presence all around it, it should come as no surprise to learn that San Antonio International Airport (SAT) is determined […]

Santo Domingo’s Las Américas International Airport in the Dominican Republic has opened its new cargo terminal. The new €14 million complex is a key component of VINCI Airports modernisation plan for the airport, which it has been responsible for operating and developing since 2016, along with five other gateways in the Dominican Republic. It notes […]

Europe gained a new airport at the weekend when Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt (BER) finally opened for business. The new €6 billion airport is expected to take travelling to Berlin to another level, albeit it nine-and-a-half years later than originally planned. Its opening will mean the closure of Berlin Tegel, which is scheduled to […]

ACI World urges the world’s governments to back COVID-19 testing as an alternative to quarantine measures, writes external relations manager, Bojana Jeremic. The airport sector, as an integral part of the global aviation ecosystem, has been among the industries most heavily affected by the global pandemic. Airports around the world are adjusting to the complexities […]

Lagardère Travel Retail has opened eight Luxury Beauty & Fashion stores in China’s Shanghai Hongqiao and Shenzhen Bao’an airports. In Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, Terminal T2, Lagardère Travel Retail has opened six stores: Chanel Beauty and Accessories; Parfums Christian Diorl Givenchy; Shiseido; Gucci Watches & Jewelry;  and Sandro. In Shenzhen Bao’an, Terminal T3, Lagardère Travel Retail […]

Tulsa International Airport, Oklahoma’s gateway to the world, today unveiled its newly renovated Schwab Hall. Construction on Schwab Hall, the area adjacent to the security checkpoint and rental car counters, began in December 2019 and took nearly eleven months to complete. The project relocated walls, art installations, and utility infrastructure in order to provide an […]

Philadelphia International Airport has become the first US gateway to offer a new product collaboration between two leading in-airport contactless food services, Grab and AtYourGate. According to the airport, the Grab Airport app with delivery powered by AtYourGate aims to ease the airport concessions experience for travellers by offering contactless meal ordering and delivery capabilities […]

ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, reflects on planning for a sustainable recovery of the world’s airports. The airport sector, as an integral part of the global aviation ecosystem, has been among the industries most heavily affected by the global pandemic. The world is changing fast and, and while COVID-19’s impact on the […]

ACI Europe today warned that 193 of the continent’s airports face insolvency in the coming months if passenger traffic does not start to recover by the year end. These airports are estimated to support 277,000 jobs and €12.4 billion of Europe’s GDP. According to ACI Europe, unless governments step up and provide support now, Europe […]

Salt Lake City International Airport opened its new Concourse B today meaning that all airlines serving the Utah gateway now operate out of new facilities. The new 21 gate concourse B will house Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest and United and its opening signals the end of passengers being handled in concourses C, F […]

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has become the first airport in India to introduce e-gates for passengers boarding international flights. The gateway was the first to introduce paper e-boarding on domestic flights, and began trialling its new digital solution for international services – developed in-house by operator GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL), this month. […]

VIEW THE ISSUE HERE In the spotlight: Sustainability Airport report: San Antonio Special report: AMPAP review Plus: ACI news, People matters & WBP innovation Year of living dangerously Editor, Joe Bates, reflects on the significant economic, operational and environmental challenges facing airports in this ‘sustainability’ themed issue of Airport World. Aviation leaders speaking at the […]

Cambodia’s three international airports have once again demonstrated their green credentials by upgrading their status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme to Level 2 – Reduction. Launched in 2009, the independently administered and verified programme has four levels of certification – Mapping, Reduction, Optimisation and Neutrality, the latter being the ultimate goal for Phnom Penh, […]

In normal times, Louisville’s airports are responsible for some 82,723 jobs across the region and have an annual economic impact of around $10.4 billion, according to their latest economic impact survey. Key drivers of the local economy, the Kentucky city’s airports – Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) and Bowman Field (LOU) – also usually […]

The island nation of Dominica, geographically part of the Windward Islands chain in the Caribbean Sea, is making progress on plans to  build a new international airport, according to Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit. He says that the government has acquired around 411 acres of land required for the new airport and that “rapid progress” is […]

The ACI Online Learning Centre (OLC) is offering a special promotion to help ease the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its customers by offering a 20% discount on all online courses. “We are trying to soften the impact of these difficult times and make our training more accessible to our airport partners worldwide”, says […]

Dublin Airport ‘s efforts to ensure the safety of its passengers and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic have been formally recognised by ACI World’s Airport Health Accreditation programme. The airport health accreditation programme provides airports with an independent assessment of the new health measures and procedures that have been introduced as a result of the […]

Global operator, TAV Airports, today revealed that three of its airports have been certified under ACI’s Airport Health Accreditation programme and that they will soon be joined by another eight. Ankara Esenboğa in Turkey, Skopje in Macedonia and Zagreb in Croatia have already received their certification. While Izmir Adnan Menderes, Gazipasa-Alanya and Milas-Bodrum in Turkey; […]

Cork Airport’s managing director, Niall MacCarthy, has admitted that Ryanair’s decision to close its base at the airport this winter is a major blow for the Irish gateway. “The team here at Cork Airport is really devastated to hear of Ryanair’s decision to close its base at Cork with the loss of so many direct […]

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has introduced touchless technology that allows passengers to record their satisfaction levels at the world’s busiest gateway without the need to press any buttons or screens. The new technology from Avius has also been launched at LEGOLAND Florida as the operators of the airport and the theme park search for […]

Portland International Airport (PDX) is 80 years old today, and it has chosen the milestone to share a sneak peek of what its new $1.5 billion main terminal will look like when it opens in 2025. PDX operator, the Port of Portland, has no doubt that the new terminal and other planned projects will ensure […]

Digital solutions provider, AOE, has announced the launch of a new e-commerce model for airlines ahead of its planned acquisition of onboard sales and supply chain specialist SHIFTEO. The agreement includes SHIFTEO’s In-flight ePOS, Supply Chain Management and Back Office for Catering Management solutions. According to AOE, the enhanced capabilities of its new integrated platform […]

Cambodia’s Sihanouk International Airport is today celebrating the completion of the extension and renovation of its runway, an upgrade that will effectively allow it to handle direct long-haul flights operated by bigger aircraft. The airport, which serves as the gateway to the country’s main seaside resort, now boasts a 3,300m long runway, which has been […]

Munich Airport International (MAI), the international management and consulting arm of Munich Airport, is to expand its influence to Central America by developing and operating a new cargo terminal at San Salvador’s El Salvador International Airport. MAI, part of the SOF Connect consortium which this summer signed finalised the concession agreement to operate and develop […]

The latest news from ACI’s World Business Partners. Zoeftig unveils new social distancing barrier UK-based Zoeftig has launched a new social distancing barrier, iZolate, in bid to help combat the spread of COVID-19. The solution is an adaptable and flexible system that can be retrofitted onto a wide range of seating types in a breadth […]

Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is to form its own IT company to sell digital services to airports worldwide. Operator, Copenhagen Airports, has joined forces with Netcompany to form Smarter Airports A/S, which it says will be 100% dedicated to developing a new, market-leading digital platform for the efficient and sustainable operation of the airports of the […]

Washington DC airport operator, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, is implementing a new sustainability plan designed to improve its facilities environmentally, operationally and financially. Developed in conjunction with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, it reveals that the plan is the result of a year long effort to interview stakeholders and analyse operations at Washington National, […]

ACI World has published a policy brief calling for an end to the “economically inefficient and discriminatory taxation of aviation”, which it believes is hampering the industry’s recovery from COVID-19. The new publication, Policy Brief: Taxation of international air transport and airports – Economic benefits and costs, explores, and provides potential remedies to, the imbalance […]

Doha’s gateway to the world has become the first in the world to achieve independent verification from BSI (British Standards Institution) for its implementation of ICAO’s COVID-19 Aviation Health Safety Protocols. The verification for Hamad International Airport (HIA) was conducted following its successful audit for compliance of measures outlined by the ICAO Council Aviation Recovery […]

Quito International Airport’s ambition to have the most modern import air cargo terminal in Latin American took a huge step forward yesterday with the groundbreaking ceremony for a $2 million cargo logistics centre. Expected to be completed in mid-2021, the Tabacarcen cargo logistics centre will become the new import cargo distribution centre for Quito International […]

The votes are in and The Green Gateway – a zero-emission, highly sustainable multimodal hub – has been named as the winner of the 2020 version of the Fentress Global Challenge (FGC) design competition. Launched by Fentress Architects in 2011, the annual global student design competition represents a key part of the firm’s commitment to advancing […]

It won’t prove to be a popular move with passengers, but Gatwick Airport today revealed that it will start charging for vehicle drop offs outside its terminals, using the money to help it offset some of its COVID-19 losses. Surprisingly it won’t be the only UK airport to do this when the £5 fee is […]

Sustainable design must be high on the agenda of the world’s airports post COVID-19 to enable the industry to build back better, writes Roger Swinbourne, Arup’s sustainability leader for the Australasia region. Sustainability is a concept that aims to optimise outcomes for human and natural environments, both now and with a view to the long-term […]

Virgin Atlantic has become the first UK airline to introduce COVID-19 pre-flight testing at its Heathrow base for its cabin crew and pilots. Launched on the September 30 on flights to Shanghai and Hong Kong, the airline plans to extend the trial to Barbados and select services later in October, before a wider roll out […]

Terri Morrissey and Richard Plenty share their thoughts on the importance of restoring passengers’ confidence in the aviation industry. How quickly times change! If you’d asked people what they thought about flying at the start of 2020, the vast majority of answers would probably have revolved around ticket prices and the enjoyment, and hassle factor, […]

Up to 46 million aviation related jobs around the world will be lost due to the severe downturn in air traffic caused by COVID-19, followed by a slow recovery, according to new industry figures released today. Under normal circumstances, aviation and the tourism facilitates support 87.7 million jobs worldwide. Over 11 million jobs are within […]

Traffic volumes might be down across the world, but it hasn’t stopped some airports from adding much needed infrastructure, and this certainly applies to Fraport, which today began construction of a new truck parking lot at Frankfurt Airport’s CargoCity South. The roughly 14,500-square-metre lot is located within the airport’s operational area near Airport Gate 32 […]

Joe Bates finds out more about Amsterdam Schiphol’s plans for a Hyperloop link and a cargo version of the technology that its inventors believe can provide super-fast transport links to airports. Amsterdam Schiphol has confirmed that it is still looking at introducing a revolutionary ‘Hyperloop’ ground transport link in the future. The new transport system […]

In new analysis released today, the aviation sector details how it can meet its climate goal of cutting CO2 emissions in half by 2050, compared with 2005. It also highlights that net-zero emissions from air transport across the global could be achieved a decade or so afterwards. The plan will rely on a significant shift […]

Doha’s Hamad International Airport is trialling new check-in kiosks that use infra-red technology to detect passengers’ fingerprints and therefore eliminate the need for them to touch any screens. The kiosks, which utilise happyhover and SITA Mobile Solution technology, are being trialled for contactless self-check-in and baggage drop. The introduction of these advanced smart solutions is […]

Quito International Airport continues its recovery from the worst of COVID-19, welcoming back a significant number of international and domestic flights since resuming operations this summer. Between them Avianca, LATAM and Aeroregional have resumed services to eight domestic destinations – Guayaquil, Cuenca, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Manta, Loja, El Coca and Santa Rosa. While its international route […]

Airport World takes a closer look at two very different new airports that are expected to be built over the next five years – Delhi Noida in India and Mirage in Saudi Arabia. Delhi Noida International Airport It may still be a few years away from becoming reality, but a second Delhi airport is now […]

Now is the time to step up the industry’s efforts against cyber-crime, writes Dominic Nessi, vice president of strategic engagement for the Aviation Information Sharing & Analysis Center (Aviation-ISAC). A series of successful cyber-attacks on airports in late 2018 helped focus the industry’s attention on the need to up its game in the battle against […]

Montréal-Trudeau has followed up its Airport Health Accreditation award by becoming the first Canadian airport, as well as the first facility in Québec, to earn GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation from The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC). GBAC is a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, and GBAC STAR is an international accreditation focused […]

ACI World has today reinforced industry calls for the widespread deployment of COVID-19 testing of international passengers before travel as an alternative to restrictive quarantine measures. As a result of the pandemic, ACI recently revealed that the airport industry is anticipating global passenger numbers to decrease by 5.6 billion with an unprecedented $104.5 billion reduction […]

Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton have become the first airports in the UK to trial a new Oxo-Biodegradable 100ml security bag. All three are operated by AGS Airports Ltd, which believes that the new, free, bags will now remove more than two million single-use plastic bags each year across the group. The technology involved ensures the […]

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has announced the implementation of a Clean Construction Program, which it claims is one of the most ambitious programmes of its kind among US transportation agencies as it is designed to reduce carbon emissions throughout the design and construction processes. This important measure ensures that […]

MXD’s Chris LeTourneur explores growth opportunities for e-commerce, health and food logistics in the wake of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has had devasting impacts on every aspect of how we live, work, play, socialise and move around, with aviation being one of the hardest hit sectors as passenger numbers have plummeted. The decline has led […]

Stockholm Aranda Airport has received a delivery of 210 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from fuel products supplier, Air bp. Purchased by Swedish airport operator, Swedavia, and its partners SOS Alarm, Systembolaget and the 2030 Secretariat, the fuel is part of an initiative to promote the large-scale production of SAF and its use as […]

Operator, GHIAL, has announced that Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has achieved Airport Health Accreditation (AHA). The accreditation recognises the airport’s efforts to make it a safe environment for passengers and staff in line with ACI’s Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines and ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) Recommendations along with industry best […]

Marshall Retail Group (MRG), a WHSmith Group company, has opened its newest airport store in Terminal at New York LaGuardia (LGA). Called the DEAN inside LaGuardia Airport (LGA), the 5,000-square-foot retail space is said to be specifically designed to “the needs of the modern LGA passenger”. According to MRG, it offers a one-of-a-kind shopping experience, […]

Chicago Rockford International Airport proves secondary airports can be pandemic heroes and economic juggernauts, writes executive director, Mike Dunn. While Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) may never be a hub, it is one of the top 20 cargo airports in the United States and cranks out cargo like one. The seismic shift – almost overnight […]

Like many other industries across the globe, with the pandemic still in full swing, airports around the world continue to add enhanced layers of protection to ensure the safety and wellbeing of passengers, and optimising the ventilation systems in terminals to improve the air quality is one of them. Here are some ways airports are […]

Over 20 travel and tourism bodies as well as unions across Europe united today in an unprecedented call for European Commission leadership to replace quarantine restrictions with an EU Testing Protocol for Travel in a bid to save the livelihoods of more than 27 million Europeans who work in the sector. In an open letter […]

A new 10 MW solar energy farm is taking shape at Melbourne Airport, which is set to produce enough clean energy to provide power to all four passenger terminals. The renewable solar farm will generate 16.8 GWh of electricity every year, which is almost 15% of the airport’s annual consumption needs. Once live in January […]

Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport today inaugurated its new hangar and maintenance complex for aircraft operated by the Aeroflot Group. According to the Russian gateway, construction of the hangar complex was completed in 12 months, a record time for the construction of such “complex technical facilities”. The first facility of this kind in Russia, airport operator, […]

Communicating confidence through digital platforms such as omnichannel retail can help drive aviation’s recovery from the COVID crisis, writes Kian Gould, CEO of AOE. Developing a clear picture of the post-lockdown passenger journey will be crucial in establishing passenger confidence as the launch pad for recovery. The urgent sharing of information across so many locations, […]

Today at 4am local time, Salt Lake City Department of Airports (SLCDA) turned the key and opened the first phase of The New SLC Airport. As the lights dimmed on the existing airport, the lights brightened on a new parking garage, gateway centre, central terminal and Concourse A-west. Delta Air Lines will occupy the 25 […]

Miami (MIA) and Hong Hong (HKG) have become the latest airports to become accredited under ACI’s Airport Health Accreditation programme. The initiative recognises the high hygiene standards and procedures in place at both airports, with accreditation seen as an important first step that will help aviation’s recovery from COVID-19. “From the onset of the pandemic, […]

Stuttgart becomes the first airport in Germany to embrace Amadeus’ cloud computing technology for passenger services. More than 200 check-in counters and gates, as well as 30 self-service kiosks have transitioned to to the new technology, which Amadeus says ensures a smoother check-in experience. Thanks to this technology, the migration was handled largely remotely, with […]

Since the arrival of COVID-19, industry commentators have shared a common theme – businesses need to be more tech-smart and flexible, to face the challenging times ahead. For airports, this is nothing new. The digitisation of operations has long been on the radar for all but the smallest. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has often been advertised […]

What can we expect from Berlin Brandenburg Airport when the long awaited new gateway opens to traffic later this year? Joe Bates investigates. There will be a mix of emotions when the German capital’s new €6 billion gateway, Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), opens for business on October 31 this year. Pride and relief will certainly […]

Fraport owned Lima Airport Partners (LAP) has signed a $450 million financing agreement for an airside development programme at Peru’s Jorge Chávez International Airport. Four international banks – comprising KfW IPEX-Bank, the Bank of Nova Scotia, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), and Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria – are providing the loan. Fraport’s and LAP´s finance […]

Toronto Pearson International Airport has become the first Canadian airport to be accredited under ACI’s Airport Health Accreditation programme. Deborah Flint, president and CEO of operator, Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), believes that the award shows how seriously Toronto Pearson is taking COVID-19 and reflects the airport community’s efforts to prioritise the health and wellbeing […]

LaGuardia Terminal B gives the airport and New York a world class facility that it deserves, writes Vantage Airport Group’s chair and CEO, George Casey. One of the few industry highlights of 2020 has to be the completion of the spectacular new Arrivals & Departures Hall at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, a key moment in […]

Aviation has many benefits for our world. Arguably, no other industry has done more globally to connect people, power economies, and enable progress than aviation. For each new generation thus far, aviation has opened new frontiers and created new opportunities for connecting people and ideas. Right now, the aviation industry is working to recover from […]

It is time to take a look at the possible airports of tomorrow courtesy of Fentress Architects’ 2020 Fentress Global Challenge (FGC). Fentress today announced the 22 entries that have been shortlisted in its annual airport design competition, which this year garnered more than 100 entries from students in over 15 countries. This year’s competition […]

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) in the UK has released some new CGI images of the proposed new terminal it hopes to shortly receive the green light to build. The new images show what the new look check in hall, departures lounge and arrivals gate could look like if the complex is approved. Large glass fronted […]

Despite the boost of the end of summer holiday traffic, only 650,000 passengers passed through Swedavia’s 10 Swedish airports in August – 83% down on the corresponding month a year ago. Swedavia, which reveals that 3.7 million passengers used its gateways in August 2019, notes that last month’s air traffic recovery “slowed somewhat in late […]