INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Whether in town for Miami Art Week or not, travellers at Miami International Airport (MIA) can this week sample works by some of the world-renowned artists featured at the annual event before they even leave the airport. Just in time for Miami Art Week 2022, the Miami-Dade Aviation Department’s Fine Arts and Cultural Affairs Division […]

Saudi Arabia today unveiled plans for a new mega hub for Riyadh which will be called King Salman International Airport. According to the master plan, King Salman International Airport will boost Riyadh’s position as a global logistics hub and stimulate transport, trade and tourism. It is expected to accommodate up to 185 million passengers per […]

Abu Dhabi Airports today released its passenger traffic results for the third quarter of 2022, which show that 4.7 million passengers passed through its gateways during the period from July 1 to September 30. The total, handled across Abu Dhabi International Airport and the smaller gateways of Al Ain International, Al Bateen Executive, Delma Island […]

NACO is part of a consortium, together with Foster + Partners and Buro Happold, that will be the master architect of the Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK) – a new greenfield airport terminal and train station in Central Poland. The hub aims to be operational by 2028, serving 40 million passengers in the first phase and […]

Moody’s has revised its 2023 outlook on the European airports sector to stable from positive on the basis that “economic headwinds” continue to hinder the post-pandemic recovery. ‘’Although annual traffic volumes and sector profitability will continue to improve in 2023, high levels of inflation and weaker macroeconomic conditions across Europe are likely to slow the […]

Dubai International Airport (DXB) is now home to the region’s first airport gaming lounge concept with the opening of Game Space earlier this week. The unique space is set to further enhance travellers’ experience at the world’s busiest international airport. Offering a novel alternative to the normal pre-flight routine of travellers, Game Space is located […]

The managing director of London Stansted today claimed that restoring four trains an hour between the gateway and London Liverpool Street was key to delivering vital sustainability targets and supporting the airport’s growth plans. Speaking at an annual Transport Forum, Gareth Powell said the frequency of trains between the airport and Liverpool Street dropped from […]

Swedavia today announced that a number of new shops will open at Stockholm Arlanda Airport next summer when the first phase of its biggest ever commercial investment at the gateway is completed. Located in the planned new Marketplace development, the new retail outlets will include a number of well-known Swedish brands, and there will also […]

BagsID showcases potential for baggage biometrics BagsID has used Aeroporti di Roma’s Innovation Hub incubator programme at Rome Fiumicino Airport to showcase its new mobile recognition app and its potential future use for baggage biometrics to the world. The incubator programme, created in partnership with LVenture Group, provides a platform for innovative start-ups to demonstrate […]

Brain Corp’s chief revenue officer, Michel Spruijt, explains why he believes that autonomous cleaning robots are here to stay at the world’s airports. How long have autonomous cleaning robots been around and, to your knowledge, when were they first deployed at an airport? Autonomous cleaning robots have been around since the mid 1990s. At that […]

Neste delivered over 500,000 gallons (1,500 metric tons) of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The SAF delivery was made possible by a close co-operation with LAXFUEL, the consortium of the airlines operating at LAX providing the jet fuel supply infrastructure for the planes at the airport. It is the first […]

For the second year running, Swedish airport operator, Swedavia, has been named a Diversity Leader in a Financial Times survey of over 800 businesses across Europe. “We are convinced that diversity at all levels is enriching, and we work actively to create and maintain an inclusive corporate culture,” said the company’s director of business support, […]

The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) today received the green light to go ahead with its proposed Terminal Area Plan at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The decision paves the way for construction to start on two new satellite concourses at the gateway and the new O’Hare Global Terminal that will replace Terminal 2. US Transportation […]

After a two-year break, Munich Airport’s Christmas and winter market is back, and judging by Saturday’s pictures, it looks better than ever! This year’s market at the München Airport Center (MAC) Forum – Europe’s largest roofed open space – features over 40 shops and stalls offering Christmas treats, handicrafts and gifts and, as usual, the […]

London’s Heathrow Airport has a new addition to its hospitality offering today following the opening of the Blush Lounge by the Plaza Premium Group (PPG). Located in Terminal 4, the new lounge can accommodate up to 105 passengers at a time and extends PPG’s sizeable presence at the UK hub. According to PPG, travellers will […]

New self-service touchpoints at check-in, bag drop, and security mean that passengers can now breeze through Geneva Airport, according to technology provider, SITA. The new touchpoints, it says, are helping to reduce wait times and provide more flexibility to passengers increasingly seeking digital travel solutions. In addition, SITA notes that passengers and staff will also […]

Virtual queuing is coming to an airport near you soon and could represent the future of waiting at airports, writes Steve Covate. With the notable exception of the current COVID caused disruptions, it could be argued that airports – and the airlines and businesses that operate within them – have made giant strides in reducing […]

JFK Millennium Partners (JMP) has confirmed that construction of a new international Terminal 6 anchoring New York JFK’s north side will begin early next year, following financial close of the $4.2 billion project. Approved in August 2021 by PANYNJ’s Board of Commissioners, the new Terminal 6 development will feature a 1.2 million square foot terminal, […]

Irish airport operator, daa, has announced that Kenny Jacobs will become its new CEO in January 2023, succeeding Dalton Philips, who left the business at the end of the summer. In addition to Dublin and Cork airports in Ireland, daa has airport and travel retail business interests in 15 countries around the world through its […]

iGA Istanbul Airport unveiled its latest artwork today, ‘Saya’s Voice’, the first to be displayed as a result of its IGART Art Projects Competition. As a tribute to the 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, 1923 bells have been used in the artwork by Betüi Kotil. Airport CEO, Kadri Samsunlu, said: “We host thousands of […]

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) has officially welcomed Metrorail to Dulles International Airport, its arrival marking the completion of a major two-phase Silver Line construction project to extend rail service to the airport and 10 other stations in Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Northern Virginia. With the new service, airport passengers and employees now […]

Paris-CDG and Paris-Orly airports today announced the delivery of 100 self-service bag drops as operator Groupe ADP bids to further enhance the passenger experience and speed up passenger flows through its main French capital city gateways. The machines, from ICM Airport Technics, an Amadeus company, will be installed over the coming months adding to the […]

The official ceremony to announce the opening of the new Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport in the US state of New Jersey marked a key milestone in the five-year history of the global Munich Airport International GmbH (MAI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Munich Airport. Munich Airport NJ LLC, which was specifically established by […]

Emma Robinson considers some of the challenges the industry will have to address in order to motivate new talent to enter the airport sector. Iam sure most airport bosses will agree, 2020-22 has been the most difficult period the aviation industry has ever faced, with the travel disruption of summer 2022 primarily mainly due to […]

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey today celebrated the opening of  Terminal A, the centrepiece of an airport-wide upgrade designed to establish Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) as a world-class gateway for the New Jersey and New York region. The new terminal represents the largest design-build project in New Jersey history and […]

Over the years many have come up with lists of what they believe to be the airports offering the most beautiful or even spectacular aerial views for arriving or departing passengers. According to component supply specialist,  Artemis Aerospace, the following six airports boast some of the world’s “must see runways” due to their location and […]

Ontario International Airport (ONT) welcomed more than 541,000 passengers in October – the highest total in a single month since its 2016 transfer to local ownership – and extended its run of better than pre-pandemic levels, airport officials announced today. The Southern California gateway posted a 7.3% increase in total passengers in October compared with […]

WSP’s aviation strategy and policy advisor and programme administrator of ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, Leonie Dobbie, updates us on the take up, development and evolution of the global initiative. Air travel has become more democratic, morphing towards a one size fits all at costs which are not sustainable, however defined. Until the outbreak of […]

Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) is planning for the future with an estimated 50 million passengers forecast to travel through its terminals each year by 2040. To cater for this rise in demand, BAC is consulting with its airline partners about the shape of a future Terminal 3. “We are running out of terminal capacity and […]

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) welcomed 4.9 million passengers in October 2022, an increase of 45.3% year-on-year. With the autumn school vacations occurring in the reporting month, FRA experienced particularly strong demand for holiday travel, specifically for flights to popular destinations in Turkey, Greece and the Canary Islands, while services to the Caribbean “continued to see robust […]

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and its construction partners, Whiting-Turner and Siemens Logistics, have celebrated the start of the delivery and installation of the new outbound baggage handling system. After processing outbound passenger bags for over twenty years, the baggage handling system at AUS is being replaced with an upgraded system to meet modern industry standards. […]

Despite being less than a decade old, Hamad International Airport today officially unveiled its airport expansion project to the world. The Qatari gateway believes the expansion, which includes what it calls a “masterpiece garden at the centre of the airport”, will enrich the passenger experience and transform the airport into an “extraordinary destination where any […]

Being one of the world’s most environment friendly and sustainable gateways is a top priority for Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, writes CEO, Videh Kumar Jaipuriar. Airports have always been in the spotlight when it comes to their impact on the environment and the steps taken by them to operate in a sustainable manner, and […]

Hong Kong International Airport has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zhuhai Municipal Government in a bid to strengthen co-operation with Zhuhai in Mainland China and “propel the development of the aviation industry in the Greater Bay Area”. The MoU was signed by Qin Chun, vice mayor of Zhuhai City, and Vivian Cheung, executive […]

Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind Saudi Arabia’s new Red Sea International Airport and AMAALA resort, has appointed Reem Emirates Saudi to construct the façade and roof shell of the new gateway and its landside facilities. The airport will be managed by daa International, the international subsidiary of Irish airport operator, daa, which last […]

Denver Mayor, Michael Hancock, was the guest of honour at Denver International Airport (DEN) as the US gateway and United Airlines staged a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Gate Expansion Program with the opening of new gates on Concourses A and B. The 12 new gates on A-West and 10 new gates […]

Abu Dhabi Airports has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Groupe ADP to explore the potential of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) in the Emirate. The new concept of air transportation based around the use electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to move people and cargo is fast gathering traction across the globe. Under […]

ACI World today published its annual ASQ 2022 Global Traveller Survey revealing the highest intention to travel by passengers since the beginning of the pandemic. The survey is designed to engage the views of travellers who used to travel at least annually before the pandemic, and that have either travelled again during the crisis or […]

Orlando International Airport is reimaging the passenger experience with a series of architecturally scaled immersive art installations dedicated to original and interactive content, writes Joe Bates. Orlando International Airport’s Terminal C is not only one of the world’s newest terminals, it is also one of the most unique in terms of its real-time, interactive and […]

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR) today announced that it is back at pre-COVID passenger levels owing to the high traffic numbers recorded in its current financial year. Displaying the ongoing momentum of passenger recovery, passenger traffic volumes at BLR registered over 102% growth in domestic travel and about 85% growth in international travel in […]

Work will shortly begin on a new Four Points by Sheraton hotel and conference centre at the International Airport Estates complex at the Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and Tobago. The hotel is being built by developers and designers STAGES Group and Urbahn Architects in response to the lack of airport hotels for air crew […]

Travel demand remained at an overall high level at Swedavia’s airports through October, despite continued global uncertainty. According to Swedish airport operator, Swedavia, Stockholm Arlanda noted several days of passenger numbers approaching year-highs in conjunction with the annual autumn break. It is also quick to note that waiting times at security checkpoints were at most […]

The ongoing modernisation of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) continues with the opening of the Terminal 4.5 Core, the first major component to complete as part of a $1.62 billion project at the 60-year-old Terminals 4 and 5. The Terminal 4.5 Core, which opened to the public yesterday, provides a centralised location between Terminals 4 […]

Frankfurt Airport today unveiled the the first vehicle for its new Sky Line people mover, which will carry travellers from the long-distance and regional train stations at the airport straight to the main building of Terminal 3 in only eight minutes. When operational – the new terminal isn’t due to open until 2026 – the […]

ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, considers the challenges of climate change and airports as sustainability leaders. Since the Paris Agreement, the international treaty on climate change adopted at COP 21, many industries have understood the urgency of addressing our common and most existential threat: climate change. The international treaty’s goal is to […]

AGS Airports today announced an agreement with ZeroAvia to explore the development  of hydrogen fuel infrastructure, regulatory framework requirements and resourcing required for delivering zero-emission flights from Aberdeen and Glasgow airports. The team at AGS, which owns and operates Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, will work closely with ZeroAvia’s specialist airport infrastructure team to assess […]

Hong Kong International Airport’s impressive Sky Bridge opened today, allowing passengers to conveniently travel between Terminal 1 and its Satellite Concourse (T1S). The latest addition to the airport’s infrastructure is 200-metres long and 28-metres high and equipped with escalators and automated walkways. Spanning a taxiway at the airport, Sky Bridge is the world’s longest airside […]

Airport World reports on a milestone achievement for Incheon International Airport and some of the highlights of the recent Customer Experience Global Summit in Kraków. Seoul’s Incheon International Airport (ICN) has become the first airport in the world to achieve the new Level 5 status in ACI’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation programme. Incheon dominated ACI […]

The slot machine concessionaire at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport, formerly know as McCarran Airport, is celebrating generating more than one billion dollars in revenue at the US gateway. Michael Gaughan’s Airport Slot Concession, Inc. has been operating at the Nevada gateway for 36 years and has generated the revenue over the lifetime of […]

For only the second time, runners instead of planes took off on the north runway at Miami International Airport on October 29 for the MIA Runway 5K Flight 2022, all with the goal of fundraising for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (MSABC) campaign. The event, which drew more than 2,500 participants, followed […]

Modalis Infrastructure Partners, a global strategic investment advisory and professional services firm for the airport industry, has redesigned and re-launched its airportIR platform. The company believes that the new-look offers users a more intuitive user experience, enhanced tools for deal tracking, upgraded operator profiles and much more. Modalis’ airportIR is designed to be a trusted […]

Brisbane Airport’s cargo capacity to the US has been boosted by a new United Airlines service to San Francisco, meaning that from today the gateway offers an 60,000 kilos of cargo capacity a week to the North American market. Indeed, the first United Airlines Brisbane to San Francisco service took off today, its cargo hold packed […]

Birmingham Airport (BHX) in the UK is in the news again today after revealing that it consumed 10% less electricity between April and September 2022 than in the same period in 2019. It says that the reduction was achieved through the use of low-energy options such as LED lighting, smart meters, continual energy-use audits, regular site […]

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) continues to expand and innovate with ambitious plans to align with the future growth and needs of the community and economy, according to president and CEO, Tamara Vrooman. Vrooman outlined some of YVR’s key goals during her first in-person address to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade since taking on the leadership […]

Global airport operator, Corporación América Airports (CAAP), is set to enter the African market for the first time after its consortium was named as the preferred bidder to operate Abuja and Kano airports and their respective cargo terminals in Nigeria. CAAP holds a controlling 51% stake in the consortium alongside partners Mota-Engil, Engenharia e Construção […]

Work is under way on a new security screening area at Birmingham Airport (BHX) in the UK. The airport says that the new facility, being built within the existing terminal building, will result in a speedier, simpler pre-flight security screening process for customers. UK Government requires all airports to be compliant with new standards by […]

Abu Dhabi Airports today unveiled its refreshed brand architecture and visual identity, which the operator of Abu Dhabi’s five airports believes reaffirms its commitment to developing the aviation sector in the UAE’s capital. According to Abu Dhabi Airports, the “refreshed brand architecture, unifying the visual identity of Abu Dhabi Airports and its subsidiaries, draws inspiration […]

Adopting ESG reporting and management frameworks for a sustainable future is now a top priority for the world’s airports, writes ACI World’s director for sustainability and envionmental protection, Jennifer Desharnais. Globally, airports have a long history of making commitments and taking direct action to ensure they design, construct, and operate in a way that is […]

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) handled more than 48 million travellers in the first nine months of 2022, surpassing the airport’s total passenger volume for all of 2021. Year-over-year international passenger traffic doubled in September, guided by new and returning air service and strong demand. The airport reported a total of 5,598,840 passengers in September, […]

Third quarter traffic figures released today by ACI EUROPE show that passenger traffic across the continent’s airport network increased by +61% compared to the same period last year. International passenger traffic (+84%) drove the surge as largely unrestricted cross border travel led to a boom in leisure and VFR travel over the peak summer months. […]

Munich Airport’s winter maintenance team will be at the ready for 24 hours-a-day from Tuesday as the German gateway prepares for the cold winter months ahead. More than 600 men and women are part of the winter maintenance team, of whom around 520 come from agriculture and trucking companies in the region. Per shift, up […]

ACI World promoted a number of key airport priorities at the 41st ICAO Triennial Assembly, which took place over 10 days in Montréal in late September/early October, 2022. Occurring every three years, ICAO’s Assembly establishes worldwide policy and guides governments’ continuing and future work in civil aviation. The event – which focuses on strengthening the […]

Waste management practices are critical to the sustainability journey of airports, writes Frost & Sullivan’s aerospace and defence research analyst, Abhilash Abraham. The aviation sector’s impact on the environment is under constant scrutiny, partially due to the high volumes of waste it generates and its perceived inability to dispose of or recycle it. Aviation stakeholders, […]

ICF’s Eliot Lees and Yasar Yetiskin explain why airports need to pay attention to and play their part in the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Aircraft emissions represent the single largest source of environment damaging greenhouse gases at an airport. Indeed, while the long-term decarbonisation goals for airports focus on airport infrastructure (Scope 1), […]

The 2022 ACI Africa/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (WAGA) is underway in Marrakech, Morocco. More than 500 delegates are in attendance at this year’s event, hosted by Morrocco’s Office National Des Aéroports (ONDA), under the theme of the ‘Sky’s the limit: Discovering opportunities within change’. During the opening ceremony, delegates were welcomed by the Minister […]

Habiba Laklalech, director general of Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA), tells Joe Bates more about her first 18 months in the job and the challenges and opportunities ahead for Marrakech Menara Airport. As has been the case for almost everyone in the aviation industry, the last 18 months have proven eventful and challenging for Moroccan Airports […]

London Gatwick’s recovery from the pandemic is gathering pace with the airport now offering flights to almost 90% of the destinations it served in October 2019. This translates to 172 destinations being served from Gatwick during the upcoming school holiday period, compared to 197 in the same period in 2019 (87%). Top destinations for half-term […]

Frankfurt Airport operator, Fraport, and Lufthansa have formed a new joint venture called ‘FraAlliance’ with each company holding a 50% share in the new initiative. The two companies intend to use FraAlliance to strengthen their existing co-operation on strategic and operational matters at Frankfurt Airport and “plan to deepen their long-standing partnership in relation to […]

Belfast International Airport is trialling a robot service technology to enhance colleague and customer experience at the gateway. The trial – the first of its kind in conjunction with SSP UK – sees six service robots deployed later this month at the Sip & Stone Restaurant and Bar. Working with GW Robotics & Stephens Catering, […]

Hamburg Airport in Germany and New Zealand’s Christchurch Airport, two airports on the opposite sides of the earth, today announced that that they will pursue their ambitious climate goals together in the future. The airports have liaised with each other for some time as each has taken a pioneering role in aviation’s decarbonisation journey in […]

VIEW THE ISSUE HERE Theme: Sustainability Airport profile: Marrakech Menara Special report: ACI Customer Experience Global Summit Plus: IT innovation, Airport art & WBP news Grab your hat! Editor, Joe Bates, looks forward to the ACI Africa/ World Annual General Assembly in Marrakech and reflects on the ‘sustainability’ theme of this issue. For someone that travelled abroad […]

Brisbane Airport’s Lost Property Auction is back with a record number of valuable items, allowing the public to grab a bargain as well as own some unique pieces of aviation history. 500 lots are up for sale, with online bidding closing on Sunday, November 6. Around 60,000 people per day pass through the Domestic and […]

As American Airlines becomes the third major carrier to place an order for Boom Supersonic’s new Overture jets, Jim Scott, considers the motivations for resurrecting supersonic air travel. When the iconic Concorde landed for the last time at Heathrow Airport in October 2003, the supersonic air travel age had seemingly come to an end. When […]

Myron Keehn will become the new CEO of Edmonton Regional Airports Authority when current incumbent, Tom Ruth, retires at the end of December 2022. The authority is responsible for the operation and development of Canada’s fifth busiest gateway, Edmonton Airport (EIA),  which pre-pandemic handled in excess of 8.2 million passengers per annum. Board Chair, Joan […]

The opening of a new air bridge might not seem like that big a deal for an airport, but for London Stansted it is significant, as the new addition boosts the UK gateway’s ability to handle long-haul aircraft. The new £1.5million double airbridge, the first of its kind at Stansted, joins the 11 single-door airbridges […]

US shipping giant, UPS, has opened a new logistics complex at Milan Bergamo Airport. The new 5,000sqm facility, which is part of an ongoing infrastructure upgrade at the Italian airport, is equipped with advanced sorting technology allowing UPS to process up to 3,800 packages per hour, twice as many as the previous amenities allowed. “The […]

Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the seventh straight month in September as passenger volumes continued to climb to levels not seen since 2007, airport officials announced. Nearly 517,000 air travellers flew into or out of ONT during the month, a rise of 10.15% on the same month in 2019. It marked […]

Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport has announced that it handled 5.8 million passengers during the first nine months of 2022, a healthy 89% rise on the same period last year and just 15% down on pre-pandemic levels. “We are continuing to build on our close collaborations with various stakeholders to grow our airline and destination […]

The FAA has awarded more than $31 million in grants to expand cargo infrastructure at nine airports across the United States. According to the FAA, each project will help expedite the movement of goods throughout the country. “Every day, we rely on goods transported through our nation’s airports,” said US Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg. “This […]

The latest traffic figures from ACI EUROPE show that passenger numbers at the continent’s airports in August was just 12% below pre-pandemic levels. The trade body reveals that passenger traffic across Europe’s airports increased by +51% in August compared to the same month last year, with the surge mostly driven by international passenger traffic (+70%) […]

Shannon Airport Group has launched a new sustainability strategy that it hopes will act as a blueprint to achieve a more sustainable future for the Group, its people, and the community. Initiatives have been devised across four pillars and key initiatives include: Creating sustainability programmes to upskill staff. Developing a plan to reduce greenhouse gas […]

Smart glass at Phoenix Sky Harbor View has installed its smart glass technology in the new Eighth Concourse at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport’s Terminal 4. Opened on June 20, the 275,000-square-foot expansion is enclosed with floor-to-ceiling View Smart Glass, which allowed the architectural design team of Corgan and SmithGroup to ensure that it makes […]

A total of 24.8 million passengers passed through Aena’s Spanish airport network in September – just 8.3% down on the corresponding month in 2019. In addition, 209,069 aircraft movements were recorded across its airports last month, which is equivalent to a recovery of 94.2% compared to 2019, and 83,036 tonnes of cargo handled, representing a […]

Singapore Changi today re-opened the southern wing of its newly revamped Terminal 2 departure hall, following the resumption of arrival operations at the terminal in May this year. Changi Airport Group (CAG) notes that the move will enhance the airport experience for passengers as services and traveller numbers begin to rise again. The additional capacity […]

The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) has confirmed that Delta Air Lines will move its operations at O’Hare International Airport from the carrier’s long-time home in Terminal 2 to newly renovated gates in Terminal 5 on Wednesday, October 12. “Delta’s move is the next big step in the $1 billion expansion and renovation project nearing […]

The times, they are a changin’… Dr Richard Plenty and Terri Morrissey reflect on how we need to design and build airport workforces for a changing, yet uncertain future. Have you ever noticed how people, generally, seem to prefer to ‘to get on with things’ and take immediate decisive action rather than think things through […]

Governments meeting at the 41st ICAO Assembly in Montréal have agreed to adopt the goal of net-zero carbon emissions for international aviation by 2050, one of the only global sector-specific climate goals. The goal aligns international aviation with the Paris Agreement and follows a commitment by the industry itself last year and has been warmly […]

Frankfurt Airport operator, Fraport AG, is embarking on another photovoltaic (PV) project at the gateway to increase its proportion of green energy. It has installed a demonstration system of 20 PV panels with an output of 8.4 kilowatts at the southwestern end of Runway 18 West and plans to extend the triple-array PV system along […]

San Diego International Airport (SAN) has achieved the highest level of certification in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme – Level 4+ ‘Transition.’   The airport achieved this certification through a series of programmes that have increased the use of carbon-free electricity and all-electric vehicles, facilitated carbon-emission reductions by airline and rideshare partners, and enabled carbon-offset […]

Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) CEO, Justin Erbacci, yesterday joined representatives from Delta Air Lines to officially cut the ribbon to open the brand-new Terminal 3 concourse at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The opening marked the completion of the third phase of the ongoing modernisation of LAX’s Terminals 2 and 3. Terminal 3 and […]

Strong demand for air travel despite heightened macro-economic risks is a key takeaway from ACI World’s latest assessment analysis on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on airports. “The recent momentum created by the lifting of many health measures and the relaxation of most travel restrictions in many European countries and in the Americas has […]

RS&H’s vice president, senior principal aviation planner, Bart Gover, outlines ten reasons some airports choose to forego long-range planning. It’s true that sometimes choosing to do nothing is the easiest decision to make. However, planning is essential to succeed and has long been considered a fundamental tool used to achieve a desired outcome. Assuming this […]

London City Airport (LCY) and London Luton Airport (LTN) have been ranked the top two gateways in the UK by Conde Nast Traveller as part of their Readers’ Choice Awards. London Luton – or LLA as it prefers to call itself – has held the second place spot for the last three years. The airport’s chief […]

Prague Airport is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and today it unveiled its planned tributes to former Czech President, Václav Havel, whom it has officially been named after since 2012. Working with the Václav Havel Library, the airport has prepared two exhibitions of photographs from the life of the former president. “The first will […]

Aena’s Board of Directors has approved the award for the first logistics development area at Madrid-Barajas’ airport city to the P3 Group Sarl, which has pledged to invest nearly €170 million on the project. The tender winning bid involves an initial upfront investment of €52.5 million, rising to €116 million and eventually €170 million over […]

Aviation plays a huge role in both the United States and international infrastructure, from transporting people for leisure and business trips to moving cargo both domestically and internationally, writes Filipe Silva. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) handles over 45,000 flights a day in the US alone, with international flight traffic increasing 150.6% from July 2021 […]

Opening the 37th TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes, TFWA president, Erik Juul-Mortensen, said he believed that the concept of ‘going back to normal’ following the pandemic is no longer a possibility. “After two years that threatened duty free and travel retail’s existence, it was inevitable the pandemic would bring change. “Traveller expectations have evolved […]

International passengers travelling on selected Singapore Airlines flights from Perth Airport have begun using, on a trial basis, new face recognition biometric technology designed to simplify the airport journey. Perth Airport CEO, Kevin Brown, said the trial, being run in partnership Amadeus and Singapore Airlines, is part of Perth Airport’s move towards greater use of […]

HOK’s regional leader of aviation and transportation, Keith Hui, and Woolpert’s director of strategic consulting, David Tomber, share their thoughts on how better design can maximise an airport’s return on investment (ROI). Design education and practice emphasise the importance of achieving design vision, functional requirements, construction budget and schedule. However, these ubiquitous project objectives can […]

San Antonio International Airport (SAT) has renewed its Level 1 accreditation for Carbon Mapping and Stinson Municipal Airport achieved Level 1 status for the first time in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.  “Through teamwork, we successfully achieved this goal,” said San Antonio International Airport’s noise abatement and special projects manager, Joshua Heiss. “Airport Carbon Accreditation […]

Landrum & Brown’s Andy Lee, Jordan Roos and Karst Smit consider ways of shortening walking distances and passenger journey times through airport terminals. Airport terminal typologies have evolved over the decades to respond to market, regulatory and technological developments. Besides the evolution of aircraft dimensions, the two biggest events, deregulation and 9/11, led to the […]

Construction work has started on a new garage of the future at London’s Gatwick Airport as it is being built to serve electric vehicles. Tech-enable sustainable energy company, GRIDSERVE, chose today, World EV Day, to commence construction of the first of its kind facility at an airport. Located on the Ring Road South approach to the […]

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) has enhanced the customer experience at DTW by introducing two new initiatives, pet therapy dogs and a programme that helps passengers with hidden disabilities. “We are constantly looking for opportunities to address the needs and exceed the expectations of our customers,” said Wayne County Airport Authority CEO, Chad Newton. […]

Airports need to get hydrogen ready now to help the industry meet its net zero targets, writes Jacobs’ Andrew Gibson and Elizabeth Leavitt. Airports worldwide continue to make significant progress in reducing their carbon emissions, but without decarbonising aircraft, overall reductions from the aviation sector will be limited. It is therefore no surprise to report […]

The robot revolution continues with Rome Fiumicino International Airport (FCO) becoming the first gateway in Europe to deploy ‘Ottobot’ to deliver food and shopping to passengers at boarding gates. The brainchild of Ottonomy.IO, Ottobot 2.0 can be found at work in the new Pier A in Terminal 1 at Rome Fiumicino. The autonomous delivery project […]

Leading data platform for the global travel industry, OAG, today released Megahubs 2022, the Top 50 most internationally connected airports in the world. Last updated in 2019, Megahubs provides fresh insight into how ongoing travel disruptions are affecting global connectivity. While London Heathrow (LHR) maintained its first-place ranking among European hubs, its global ranking dropped […]

ACI EUROPE today officially joined the Alliance for Zero-Emission Aviation (AZEA), a voluntary initiative spearheaded by the European Commission bringing aviation stakeholders together to prepare Europe for hydrogen and electric flight. The Alliance will build on the findings of the industry-led Destination 2050 roadmap as regards the emission reduction potential of alternative propulsion technologies, notably […]

Airport World reports on a handful of sustainability news stories making headlines across the world this summer. Encouraging progress at ICAO talks in Montréal The aviation industry says progress towards a long-term climate goal for the global air transport sector took a significant step forward at July’s High-level Meetings in Montréal organised by ICAO to […]

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today released new design guidelines for vertiports, infrastructure that will support Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft. The design standards will serve as the initial step to provide key information for airport owners, operators and infrastructure developers to begin development of facilities that will support operations of AAM aircraft that are […]

The battle to save Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) has failed, with the UK gateway now set to wind down after October 31 after the owners confirmed that it was no longer economically viable. Owners, the Peel Group, admitted earlier this year that the airport might close after Wizz Air’s decision to withdraw operations at DSA, and […]

On the eve of the 41st ICAO Triennial Assembly, Airports Council International (ACI) is calling on States to adopt an ambitious environmental agreement. ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, said: “The adoption of an ambitious environmental agreement at the ICAO 41st Triennial Assembly fully aligned with the Paris Agreement and the aviation industry’s […]

ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, reflects on the key role ICAO’s 41st Assembly will play in driving improvements in the aviation sector. The aviation industry is coming out of the pandemic with a shared set of challenges and with an understanding that we must support each other to fully recover and prosper. […]

Heathrow today invited the SME community to reconnect with its multi-billion-pound supply chain, which it insists can be a part of the airport’s continued recovery, contributing to the local community’s growth and “global Britain’s prosperity”.  The call comes as the airport announced the relaunch of its annual Business Summit. It has been three years since […]

Airport World turns the spotlight on a handful of infrastructure development projects currently taking shape or being planned across the globe. New terminal for Kumasi Airport in Ghana Kumasi International Airport’s new terminal is on target to open in October, 2022, and may even handle its first flights in August, if news reports from Ghana […]

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) has two new bespoke Thai food outlets, courtesy of global F&B provider, the SSP Group. According to SSP, the openings will allow travellers to enjoy authentic Thai culinary experiences as they embark on their journeys through this international hub. Koh Hop Bar, which has proven exceedingly popular with customers, serves […]

Santiago Beron reminds airports about the importance of identifying all existing cables before commencing expansion projects based on TLC Engineering Solution’s experience at two Florida gateways. As the pandemic has shown, any disruption to air travel has real world impacts, from airport operations to business expenses as well as personal budgets for families on vacation. […]

After decades of planning and nearly five years of construction, on Tuesday afternoon, the vision became reality at Orlando International Airport (MCO) as an Aer Lingus flight from Manchester in the UK helped open Terminal C to the public. The $2.8 billion project features 15 additional gates to increase MCO passenger capacity by 25% or […]

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has become the first gateway in the world to earn airport-wide LEED Platinum certification under the Communities programme developed by the US Green Building Council. While individual buildings at SFO have previously earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) status, this latest achievement certifies the entire existing airport campus […]

China’s tougher border measures and Japan’s cautious approach towards relaxation of inbound travel restrictions could displace Asia-Pacific as the world’s largest air passenger market for the year 2022. Asia-Pacific which has dominated the civil aviation market for several years prior to the pandemic, is estimated to finish second, behind Europe in terms of passenger share, […]

Curtis Fentress tells us more about Orlando International Airport’s new 1,800 million square foot, $2.8 billion Terminal C. Last year, Florida’s Orlando International Airport (MCO) ranked among the world’s top ten busiest airports for the first time. This year it will open phase one of a new Terminal C, which has been decades in the […]

Seoul’s Incheon International Airport (ICN) has became the first airport in the world to achieve the new Level 5 status in ACI’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation programme. The announcement was made today at the ACI Customer Experience Global Summit in Kraków. Incheon dominated ACI World’s annual customer service excellence awards the early years, being named the […]

ACI World’s annual ACI Customer Experience Global Summit has begun in Kraków, Poland, with ‘Re-humanising the airport experience’ being the theme of the event. The ACI Customer Experience Global Summit is the premier global event on airport experience and attracts more than 400 senior airport executives, civil aviation authority representatives, airport specialists, and related business […]

Two new providers are taking electro-mobility to a new level at Frankfurt Airport, according to the German gateway. The airport notes that the popularity of sharing rental vehicles “is growing fast” as passengers seek alternatives to using their own cars or taking taxis or public transportation to get to and from the airport. As a […]

Flying cars used to be the province of science fiction novels. But now, “flying cars” are real, with over 200 different models being designed and dozens of real prototypes flying today. Except that it’s not so much a flying car as an actual aircraft: an electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, to be exact. […]

Cork Airport has celebrated the appointment of six new Airport Police and Fire Service recruits who will complement the very strong Airport Police and Fire operation at Ireland’s second busiest airport. The new recruits, Shannon Duke, Nicole Maher, Mary McCarthy, David Northridge, Ben O’Connor, and Simon Stokes were joined by their proud family and friends […]

SITA has announced the launch of a partnership programme aimed at joining hands with key partners as it embarks on what it calls “a new path to growth”. Through the new partner platform, Launchpad, SITA has outlined four key areas where it seeks to build new partnerships: digital identities, advanced analytics and data management, security […]

VIEW THE ISSUE HERE Theme: Design & Build Airport profile: Prague Special report: Kraków Airport Plus: Sustainability & WBP news The heat is on! Airport World editor, Joe Bates, reflects on the summer heatwave, the importance of reducing carbon emissions and the ‘Design & Build’ theme of this issue. Temperatures have hit record highs across Europe this […]

Jiří Pos, Prague Airport’s chair of the board, talks to Joe Bates about the Czech gateway’s 85th anniversary, future development plans and success in ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) programme. With little domestic or transfer traffic and the Czech Republic introducing some of the toughest travel restrictions in Europe during the COVID pandemic, it doesn’t […]

August was busy at Copenhagen Airport (CPH), with more than 2.3 million passengers passing through the facilities at Denmark’s capital city gateway. The monthly total means that around seven million passengers used Copenhagen in between June 1 and August 31 this year, with Spain being the most popular outbound destination. “It has been a busy […]

Bahrain International Airport has revealed that almost three million passengers passed through its facilities in the first half of 2022. Talking about the airport’s 2022 performance to date, Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) CEO, Mohamed Al Binfalah, said: “We can all be proud of how well our airport has performed this year. “After losing more than […]

VINCI Airports will operate Faa’a International Airport in Tahiti for the next 40 years after being awarded the concession to develop it by the French government. The main airport and gateway to French Polynesia, Faa’a International Airport – also known as Tahiti International Airport – welcomed 1.5 million passengers in 2019. The new concession company, […]

Changi Airport Group (CAG) has released its latest sustainability report, ‘Forging A Sustainable Changi’, which outlines its sustainability vision, approach and outcomes from the financial year ending 31 March 2022. The report covers CAG’s activities across Changi Airport’s four passenger terminal buildings, the Changi Airfreight Centre and the aircraft operating areas on the airport site […]

Sydney Airport will host a second jobs fair to help meet the ongoing demand for staff, with more than 4,000 vacancies available heading into the September school holidays and end-of-year Christmas period. Luxury retailers, hotels, airlines, government agencies, and terminal service providers are in the market for employees, with major employers including Virgin Australia, Qantas, […]

António Costa, Prime Minister of Portugal, and Nicolas Notebaert, CEO of VINCI Concessions and president of VINCI Airports, today gathered at Faro Airport to celebrate the centenary of Gago Coutinho’s aerial crossing of the South Atlantic. The event was held in the presence of Portugal’s Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Pedro Nuno Santos, as well […]

A total of 2.9 million passengers passed through Sweden’s airports in August as the country and its aviation industry continued its recovery from the global pandemic. It was the third straight month that close to three million passengers used Swedavia’s 10 airports, which include Stockholm Arlanda, Göteborg Landvetter and Malmö. The airport operator notes that […]

Kraków Airport’s director of aviation and commercial services, Paweł Galiak, tells us more about the gateway’s award winning customer service strategy. How proud are you of Kraków Airport’s success in ACI’s ASQ programme, and what does it mean for the airport, because success doesn’t happen overnight, does it? That’s true. We have achieved success thanks […]

Digital solutions providers AeroParker and Omnevo have announced a strategic partnership that they believe will help take “airport digital ancillary revenue to the next level”. The agreement expands the reach of the Omnevo digital platform into car parking, a key ancillary revenue market for almost every airport, enlarging the platform’s capabilities across the spectrum of […]

A consortium led by AGS Airports, delivering what will be the UK’s first medical distribution network using drones, has launched its next phase in partnership with NHS Scotland. CAELUS (Care & Equity – Healthcare Logistics UAS Scotland), secured £10.1 million funding from the Future Flight Challenge at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) last month. AGS […]

Singapore Changi is to re-open the southern wing of Terminal 2 for departure operations next month following the resumption of arrival operations at the terminal in May this year.  The commencement of departure operations at T2 on October 11 will add to Changi’s capacity and spread out passenger operations more evenly across the airport’s terminals as […]

A midnight runway run at Aberdeen International Airport has raised in excess of £40,000 for different charities. More than 300 runners completed the 3.5km Runway Run on Saturday night, with the airfield  lit up for the occasion. Once again, CHC Helicopters and Aberdeen International Airport partnered up to bring the run to the Dyce terminal […]

Navigating Tucson International Airport (TUS) has always been a breeze, but now the travel experience is even easier as the US gateway has upgraded its interactive map to allow for wayfinding throughout the airport and surrounding customer facilities. Accessible through the FlyTucson.com website, the new map is available in desktop format for anyone interested in […]

H.E. Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri is the new managing director and CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, his brief being to “continue the journey of success” achieved by predecessor, Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi. According to Abu Dhabi Airports, the appointment is in line with the next phase of its development as it continues to transform and […]

Passengers passing through Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) got a taste of two featured beers as part of a tap takeover celebrating National Black Business Month. Turner Häus Brewery had beer on tap at Tortas Frontera restaurant while Moor’s Brewery took over the tap at Hub51, both located in Terminal 5. Both restaurants, operated by Areas, sold […]

Sydney Airport is reinvigorating its luxury retail precinct with the arrival of the most sought-after fashion brands, affirming the airport’s position on the world stage of luxury. Showcased within a 2,700sqm streetscape, luxury brands including Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Bvlgari, Hermès, Loewe, Moncler, Prada, Rolex and Saint Laurent are now open at the airport’s T1 […]

Atkins – a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group – has been appointed by daa as its multi-disciplinary design consultant for the delivery of civil and airfield engineering design services at Dublin and Cork airports. Under the terms of the five-year Civil Engineering Design Services Framework contract – extendable by three years – Atkins will integrate […]

Following extensive testing, Samarkand International Airport has launched the first e-gate border control system in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The e-gate software and hardware system, developed by an Uzbekistan company under contract with the border troops of the State Security Service of Uzbekistan, allows safe and uninterrupted processing of arriving passengers. The automated border control […]

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) enjoyed a strong rebound in international traffic this summer, with passenger numbers in July nearly double those experienced during the same month a year ago. The airport handled a total of 6.3 million passengers in July, up from 5.5 million in the same month last year. The increase of nearly […]

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) in the UK has announced an innovative technology partnership to improve queue management and the passenger experience. LBA has partnered with Veovo to introduce AI-powered passenger predictability technology to its airport operation. This technology will optimise airport security area operations and passenger flow throughout the terminal by analysing real-time data on […]

Air travellers making their final trips of the summer are expected to have plenty of company at Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) over the Labor Day weekend. According to ONT officials, the number of domestic and international passengers combined will be more than 77,000 between September 1 and 5, 6% higher than the same […]

Abu Dhabi Airports has reported “healthy” traffic figures for the first half of 2022, revealing that it handled 6.2 million passengers across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Al Bateen Executive, Delma and Sir Bani Yas Island airports during the six months. CEO, Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi, said: “Our passenger traffic results for this year’s first half represent […]

A Ryanair flight to Eindhoven yesterday became the first official flight to take-off from Dublin Airport’s newly constructed North Runway. Airport operator, daa, is quick to note that the €320m North Runway (designated 10L/28R) and associated facilities were delivered on schedule and on budget and at no cost to the Irish government. According to daa, […]

The latest news from ACI’s World Business Partners. TSA approves use of Rohde & Schwarz scanner Rohde & Schwarz has announced that its R&S QPS201 security scanner has been placed on the Transportation Security Administration’s Qualified Products List (QPL), which approves it for use in US airports and at other TSA security screening facilities. “We […]

Canada’s Ministry of Transport has announced close to C$2 million in new funding to help Calgary International Airport (YYC) recover from the effects of the pandemic, and to support continued air services and important infrastructure projects at the airport. The funding from Transport Canada’s Airport Critical Infrastructure Program, will support projects to improve current and […]

Flying cabs are a step closer to reality following the successful trial of the world’s first fully operational demonstration hub for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles such as air taxis and autonomous cargo drones. Air-One, as it was named by creator, Urban-Air Port, was located in the heart of Coventry in the UK […]

Through subsidiary, Aena Desarrollo Internacional, Aena has been awarded the concession to operate and develop São Paulo’s Congonhas Airport and 10 other gateways across Brazil. The concession, which is initially for 30 years with the option of a five year extension, covers 11 gateways across São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais and Pará […]

As borders begin to re-open, is it time for APAC airports to reconsider how they will look and digitally interact with passengers in the future? Amadeus’ senior vice president of airport and airline operations for the region, Sarah Samuel, investigates. When the pandemic emerged in 2019, Asia-Pacific was the first to feel its impact. And […]

It is claimed that a Green Freeport in the North East of Scotland could play a significant role in decarbonising the aviation industry by delivering a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant that would create up to 920 jobs and £133 million in GVA per year. The creation of a SAF facility at St Fergus is […]

It is time to apply a ‘warp-speed mindset’ to the digital transformation of airport operations to accommodate future growth, improve the passenger journey, respond to disruptions and optimise operational efficiencies from ground operations to ticketing, writes Charlie Meyer. At the onset of the pandemic, as we all waited for vaccines to be made available, many […]

A steady surge of growth throughout the second quarter has propelled Dubai International’s (DXB) half yearly traffic to 27.9 million passengers, just 1.2 million shy of the airport’s total annual traffic last year. DXB achieved the milestone despite a significant reduction in capacity resulting from the 45-day closure of its northern runway in May-June for […]

Carlos Kaduoka, SITA’s head of business strategy for airports, considers how new technology will play a key role in helping airports respond to the demands for a greener industry. The travel recovery is well underway. As the summer travel season approaches, airlines and airports have been caught off guard by the speed of recovery. The […]

Shannon Airport has expanded its airport security team to bolster its commitment to improving passenger flows and enhancing the airport experience for visitors, particularly during the busy summer months. A total of nine new recruits have received their official certificates after completing an intense training course in airport security. The new Airport Screening Unit (ASU) officers […]

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) welcomed 401,000 passengers in July, 2022, a colossal 259.3% increase over the same period last year, although passenger volumes remain significantly down on pre-pandemic levels. Cargo throughput and air traffic movements recorded 17% and 3.1% year-on-year drops to 348,000 tonnes and 11,485 movements, respectively. The relaxation of inbound travel and […]

The battle to save Doncaster Sheffield Airport in the UK will gather pace tomorrow with a rally attended by staff, union officials, the local MP and Regional Secretary, Hazel Nolan. Wizz Air’s decision to withdraw operations at the airport has led the Board to “reluctantly conclude that aviation activity on the site may no longer […]

Arora Engineers, one of the largest minority-owned infrastructure services firms in North America, has announced a new partnership with Jacmel Growth Partners. According to ACI World Business Partner, Arora, this strategic partnership will have important implications for the AEC industry. Capital from Jacmel will support Arora as it continues to expand upon its core infrastructure […]

Rome’s Leonardo di Vinci International Airport (Fiumicino) has begun the installation of new carry-on baggage screening systems that it claims will enhance the operational efficiency and effectiveness of its security operations. The airport has opted to instal 30 HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX machines from Smiths Detection, a computed tomography (CT) X-ray scanner that produces high-resolution volumetric […]

Joe Bates takes a closer look at some of the most innovative IT stories to have made headlines across the globe in the first half of 2022. Duty calls for assistance robots Bengaluru-Kempegowda in India and Christchurch in New Zealand have become the latest airports to embrace humanoid technology – the former on a trial […]

ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, reflects on the key role new technology plays in the operation and ongoing development of the world’s airports. The recent momentum created by the lifting of many health measures and the relaxation of most travel restrictions in a growing number of countries has had a positive and […]

Copenhagen Airport and the Fraport Group have become the latest airport operators to post improved results for the first half of 2022. Denmark’s capital city airport reports that eight out of ten passengers are back, it has taken on an extra 500 staff to cope with rising demand, and that it is close to breaking […]

MXD’s Chris LeTourneur outlines what we can expect from Jeddah Airport City and explains why he believes it represents the future of airport centric development. Jeddah Airport City at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) is arguably taking airport-centric development to a new level, enhancing the western gateway to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for […]

Technology such as artificial intelligence can help airports increase efficiency and improve the passenger experience without compromising on security, writes Chris Bishop. When it comes to commercial aviation, it would not be an exaggeration to describe the first few months as “difficult” for the industry. Flights have been cancelled with little or no notice across […]

Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) is hosting the BNE Careers Expo next month to encourage up to 2,000 new employees to consider a career at the airport precinct. The airport ‘jobs bonanza’ covers a diverse range of roles including: security, baggage handling, government agencies, airlines, customers service, engineering, corporate services, landscaping, bus drivers, hospitality and retail […]

We review some of the highlights of ACI EUROPE’s Annual Congress & General Assembly in Rome. Cautious optimism about the future might be the best way to sum up the mood of the over 300 delegates who gathered in Rome recently for ACI EUROPE’s 32nd Annual Congress & General Assembly. For although traffic figures are […]

Genetec’s Simon Barnes assesses the risks of IoT devices in airports and the need for a joint approach to cyber and physical security to secure networks. The ever-expanding catalogue of ‘smart devices’ is revolutionising airport operations. Innovative technology is directly improving the passenger experience and making operations more efficient. One of the biggest areas where […]

Birmingham Airport (BHX) in the UK today published its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions report for 2021/22. The report reveals emissions rose 12% on the previous year, 2020/21, when operations were severely reduced by COVID. Publishing a full GHG emissions inventory covering Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions is a first for BHX, which notes that […]

Passenger numbers at San Diego International Airport (SAN) broke the two million a month barrier in June for the first time December 2019. The milestone also marks the closest the airport has come to reaching pre-pandemic passenger numbers as June reached 90.5% of 2019’s traffic levels. “SAN has seen a steady increase in passenger numbers […]

London’s Heathrow Airport has enjoyed a flying start to the great summer getaway, with over one million people taking to the skies in the last 10 days, the busiest consecutive period for departures at the airport since Christmas 2019. The top destinations so far this summer are New York, Los Angeles, and Dubai. This is […]

Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, has been awarded a $8 million contract to provide programme management and design criteria professional services at Florida’s Pensacola International Airport. Under the approximately three-year contract, the company will support the City of Pensacola, which owns and operates the airport, in the completion of its Project Titan Element […]

ABM has signed a new five-year contract worth $25 million a year to provide “comprehensive custodial, window cleaning and related hygiene and disposal services” for the airside facilities at Chicago O’Hare’s Terminals 1, 2 and 3. The contract represents a significant expansion of ABM’s current work at O’Hare. The company notes that it “has been […]

LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP), the private entity managing and redeveloping LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, has announced that the last remaining elements of the new terminal have opened. New York governor, Kathy Hochul, and other dignitaries celebrated the completion of construction of the terminal passenger facility in January, and as part of the LGP’s innovative project […]

Spain’s global airport operator, Aena, has announced that it made  a net profit of €163.8 million in the first half of 2022 – nearly a  150% rise on its results for the corresponding period a year ago when it reported a huge €346.4 million loss. The turnaround in its fortunes means that Aena is in […]

VIEW THE ISSUE HERE Theme: IT Innovation Airport profile: Ontario (ONT) Special report: Jeddah Airport City Plus: ACI EUROPE’s Annual Congress & General Assembly Never ending story Airport World editor, Joe Bates, reflects on the evolution of technology and aviation’s constant search for new IT-driven solutions. Those of us old enough to have used typewriters, […]

CEO, Atif Elkadi, tells Joe Bates more about the transformation in Ontario International Airport’s fortunes over the last five years and its impressive recovery from the global pandemic. Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) is in a good place right now with ambitious owners, a committed and forward-looking management team, and more airlines and a […]

Two years after the pandemic shrank global air travel to historic lows, Miami International Airport (MIA) is experiencing its busiest year ever and is on pace to surpass 50 million annual passengers for the first time in its history. The Florida gateway’s previous annual record is 45.9 million passengers, set in 2019. According to statistics […]

London Stansted has completed the £12 million refurbishment of its international departure lounge just in time for the big summer holiday getaway. The airport and its retail partners are confident that the investment will improve the customer experience as they welcome more than five million passengers during July and August. The new dining and retail […]

ACI World today published its annual World Airport Traffic Dataset, revealing the magnitude of the aviation industry’s recovery and confirming global air traffic rankings for the full year 2021. “Following the release of preliminary data earlier in the year, we are pleased to share ACI’s complete annual World Airport Traffic Dataset,” said ACI World director […]

The Board of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) in the UK has begun a review of strategic options for the airport after its Board “reluctantly concluded that aviation activity on the site may no longer be commercially viable”. Airport owner, the Peel Group, has reviewed the conclusions of the Board  and commissioned external independent advice in […]

ACI is calling for the upcoming ICAO meeting in Montréal to reach an agreement on a long-term aspirational goal for CO2 emissions reductions, aligned with the Paris Agreement 1.5°C goal and the industry objective of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The meeting, due to take place at ICAO’s headquarters next week, will examine the […]

Passenger traffic at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) continued its upward trend in June 2022, with some five million passengers passing through the German hub during the month. The total represented a huge 181% increase on the corresponding month a year ago – the biggest monthly upturn since the start of the pandemic – and means that […]

ACI EUROPE has welcomed the European Commission’s proposal to reinstate standard airport slot usage rules for the upcoming Winter 22/23 season. Accordingly, airlines will be required to use airport slots they have been allocated for 80% of the time in order to keep them during the following corresponding season – putting an end to what […]

London’s Heathrow Airport has taken the dramatic step of imposing a capacity cap this summer to ensure that it offers “better and more reliable” journeys for passengers during traditionally its busiest time of the year. In an open letter to passengers on the capacity cap, Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye, says: “The global aviation industry is […]

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has become the latest major gateway to turn to cloud-based technology to enhance the passenger journey.  Its new Amadeus Flow cloud solution supports innovations such as biometrics, contactless services and off-airport check-in and bag drop. In a phased migration, YVR has upgraded its connectivity using multiple high-speed network connections to a […]

A new PwC report – Road to Jet-Zero – outlines what it claims are the range of support measures needed to ensure that air travel in the UK becomes even more sustainable in the future, ultimately becoming a CO2 free industry. It notes that aviation currently accounts for 7% of the UK’s total carbon emissions. […]

Brisbane Airport has experienced its busiest day since before the start of the global pandemic, with 65,000 passengers today passing through its Domestic and International terminals. “This is great news for Queensland and the recovery of tourism across the State,” enthused Gert-Jan de Graaff, the CEO of operator, Brisbane Airport Corporation. “Right now, the terminals […]

Nearly 2.9 million passengers passed through Swedavia’s airports in June, meaning that traffic volumes have risen at Sweden’s gateways for the third straight month for the first time since the start of the pandemic. June is usually the strongest travel month of the year due to increased demand and routes being added during the summer. […]

US Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, has announced that Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will receive $50 million as part of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help reconstruct and modernise its terminal roadway systems, including a reconfiguration of the main entrance to the airport. “Americans deserve modern airports that meet the needs of their […]

Norwegian’s latest traffic figures support the fact that the upturn in passenger numbers across Europe’s airports is gathering pace, the airline today revealing that it handled 1.9 million people across its network in June. The total represents a 19% increase on the previous month and the highest number since the outbreak of the pandemic, with […]

Airport International Group (AIG) has announced that Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport has become the first gateway in the Middle East and one of only 21 in the world to achieve Level 4+ ‘Transition’ status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme. The Amman gateway notes that it was awarded the certificate following a “rigorous review […]

Singapore’s gateway to the world has stepped up the promotion of its Changi Precinct, which it hopes will prove a big hit with passengers wishing to explore and have fun as traffic numbers begin to rise again after the global pandemic. The new ‘Hello, Changi Precinct’ gallery in Terminal 3 is essentially designed to drive […]

Helsinki Airport will celebrate its 70th anniversary as a commercial gateway tomorrow. Finland’s capital city airport handled its first passenger flight on July 5, 1952, with the bulk of those onboard and passing through its newly opened passenger terminal comprising athletes and guests coming to Helsinki for the Summer Olympics. “In 70 years, Helsinki Airport […]

Abu Dhabi International Airport is expecting a busy next few months with passenger numbers boosted by Eid Al Adha and the upcoming summer holiday season. Around 2.8 million passengers are expected to pass through Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) during July and August this year, of which 414,000 are specific to the Eid Al Adha […]

As part of its NAIDOC Week celebrations, Perth Airport has partnered with the Community Arts Network (CAN) on an exciting First Nations truth telling exhibition in Terminal 4. The land on which the airport operates forms part of the traditional network of communication routes, meeting places and camping sites of the Noongar people, and the […]

Becoming carbon neutral and looking to increase investment in renewable technologies are two of the improvements Edinburgh Airport has made as it publishes its annual report. The airport’s sustainability report for 2021 comes a year after the launch of its Greater Good strategy and measures progress made against the four pillars contained within. The past […]

SITA’s 2022 Passenger IT Insights research, published today, highlights pent-up demand for both business and leisure travel emerging from the pandemic, with passengers further embracing mobile and touchless technologies to make the journey as convenient and seamless as possible. The survey reveals an increase in passenger use of mobile devices for booking, on board the airplane, and […]

Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport today hosted five European flights that between them used a combination of new innovative technologies, fuels and air navigation procedures designed to minimise their carbon emissions. According to ACI Europe, today’s actions show that the potential to transform the environmental impact of the aviation industry exists today. The flights – from Amsterdam, […]

Dublin Airport has reiterated its confidence in its current plan to avoid cutting any flights this summer. The Irish gateway notes that during the first three weeks of June, 93% of all passengers spent 45 minutes or less queuing at its security screening areas, while 77% of passengers queued for 30 minutes or less. And […]

Airport World reviews some of the latest new artwork to be showcased at airports across the globe. Flying visit In a new first for the industry, VINCI Airports recently celebrated International Women’s Day by simultaneously hosting the first-ever global NFT exhibition showcasing the work of 22 female artists across 20 of its airports in Costa […]

ACI World today published its quarterly assessment analysing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on airports, and it shows that aviation’s rebound from the pandemic is beginning to gather momentum. Indeed, ACI World, reveals that the lifting of many health measures and the relaxation of travel restrictions in many European countries and in the Americas […]

London’s Heathrow Airport has reacted with dismay to the Civil Aviation Authority’s demand to reduce its passenger charges every year until 2026. The airport, which actually wanted to raise its fees, has been told by the regulator that the move reflects the recent rebound in passenger volumes, and would still allow it to invest in […]

HOK’s Matt Needham and William Jenkinson discuss trends in designing outdoor spaces for US airport terminals. Travel is once again ramping up. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, travel and tourism GDP is projected to rise by 31.7% in 2022. Similarly, the US Travel Association notes that 82% of American travellers are “excited […]

Asia-Pacific governments heard from aviation industry representatives today about the importance of coming to an agreement at the United Nations level on a long-term climate goal for the aviation sector. They included the Air Transport Action Group’s executive director, Haldane Dodd, who urged governments in Asia-Pacific to work together with colleagues from around the world […]

Opening ACI EUROPE’s Annual Congress and General Assembly in front of 300 delegates in Rome, director general, Olivier Jankovec, described an industry with a clear vision for its future societal and economic role – but fighting for the financial stability to get there. Continued and systemic financial weakness He noted that Europe’s airports are still […]

On the eve of its 32nd Annual Congress and General Assembly, ACI EUROPE today published its Airport Industry Connectivity Report for 2022, which reveals that the recovery of European air connectivity from the COVID-19 pandemic is uneven and still difficult. According to ACI EUROPE, this reflects the combination of yet not fully lifted travel restrictions, […]

Dr John Kasarda presents a new Aerotropolis model that integrates 4.0 economy sectors with smart technologies and sustainable development practices to create and capture value for airports and the regions they serve. The planning and development of aerotropolises worldwide is changing. This change reflects a pivotal role that governments and the private sector envision them […]

Gebr Heinemann has won the concession to operate the the duty free and travel retail shops at Düsseldorf Airport from January 2023. The licence is for four shops across all three terminals A, B and C, with a total of around 4,000 square metres of shopping area. The product range will include liquor, tobacco, confectionery, […]

London Luton Airport welcomed 1.2 million passengers in May, with a further 200,000 travelling across the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee between June 2-5. Despite the significant increase in passengers, the airport’s operations teams managed to provide a smooth travel experience for customers, with security wait times averaging ten minutes or less and almost 99% of flights […]

Global air and travel services provider, dnata, has significantly expanded its operations at Erbil International Airport (EBL) in Iraq with the opening of a new, advanced cool chain facility and a bus maintenance facility. The new additions represent a total investment of $3.5 million for dnata, and it hasn’t finished there as the company has also unveiled […]

JFKIAT, the operator of Terminal 4 at New York JFK, has partnered with DFS Group to unveil a life-sized LEGO model at the LEGO Airport Store at T4. Located in the centre of T4’s Retail Lounge, the new six-foot model of a commercial pilot is one of only two in the world, with the other […]

The European aviation industry is heading for a strong summer, with air traffic now expected to reach 60%-70% of 2019 levels in 2022, according to the latest estimates from S&P Global Ratings. The estimate is up from previous S&P forecasts of 50%-65%. According to a new report, airlines are benefitting from significant pent-up demand for […]

Zurich Airport has selected the design proposals of HOK, in collaboration with BIG and several other firms, for its planned new Dock A and adjacent buildings. Selected from 10 global competition entries, the winning proposal for the largest dock of Zurich Airport is comprised predominantly of solid regional wood. It is hoped that the new […]

From next Tuesday, Finavia will centralise the check-in, security controls and baggage claim activities in a single terminal at Helsinki Airport. “We are turning over a new leaf in the history of Helsinki Airport, as departing and returning passengers will henceforth be served in our new, magnificent terminal,” enthuses airport director, Ulla Lettijeff. “Passengers will […]

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has selected transport security technologists Pangiam to demonstrate its artificial intelligence (AI)-driven accessible screening solution that is said to have the potential to transform aviation security worldwide. Project DARTMOUTH, the collaboration between Pangiam and Google Cloud, utilises artificial intelligence (AI) and pattern analysis technologies to digest and analyse vast amounts […]

Bechtel Engineering and Construction India Private Limited has signed a contract to support Tata Projects in its delivery of Delhi’s new Noida International Airport. Tata Projects’ work includes constructing the terminal, runways and airside infrastructure roads, utilities, landside facilities and other ancillary buildings for an opening capacity of 12 million passengers annually by 2024. Tata […]

A total of 5.3 million passengers travelled through Heathrow in May, around 79% of 2019 levels, which the UK hub claims is in line with its revised forecast. It notes that despite the bad publicity about long queues and flight cancellations at airports across the globe due to the lack of staff, ‘close coordination and […]

Following two years of passenger numbers below the one million-mark, London City Airport (LCY) today announced that it has surpassed that milestone and are confident of finishing the year close to three million. This follows a very successful May where the airport welcomed 290,000 travellers, representing 65% of 2019 numbers for the same period. LCY […]

ACI World and the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) have launched a first-of-its-kind study on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to support the decarbonisation of the industry and contribute to building a viable future for aviation and communities worldwide. The Integration of Sustainable Aviation Fuels into the Air Transport System publication provides an overview of the infrastructure […]

More than 2.6 million passengers passed through Sweden’s airports in May – the highest monthly total since the start of the pandemic. Airport operator, Swedavia, notes that the strong growth was driven mainly by an increase in international travel, especially at Stockholm Arlanda, “where air travel has increased sharply within a short period of time”. […]

There’s a jobs bonanza at Sydney Airport with more than 5,000 vacancies across 800 organisations, with operations continuing to scale up ahead of the July school holiday peak. Retailers, government agencies, and terminal service providers are in the market for an estimated 3,800 roles, with major employers including Certis, dnata, Menzies and Swissport looking to […]

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport has introduced a new first for India, AI-driven, assistance robots designed enhance passenger experience. Currently at the trial stage, 10 robots have been deployed to help guide passengers through the airport and answer basic queries. It notes that the robot count will be increased in a “calibrated manner” and will be […]

NAV CANADA has become the first air navigation service provider (ANSP) in North America to deploy the time-based separation tool, Intelligent Approach. Deployed at Toronto Pearson International Airport, this new technology adds additional tactical capacity across the airport’s five runways and will help reduce delays, fuel burn and CO2 emissions, particularly in high wind conditions. […]

San Antonio International Airport’s new Terminal C is a step closer to reality following the news that Corgan has been approved to provide planning services for the Terminal Development Program and its enabling projects. The international architecture and design firm’s services will lay the groundwork for Terminal C at the Texas gateway. Corgan and its […]

Ferrovial Airports has agreed to acquire a stake in New Terminal One, the consortium appointed to design, build and operate the new $9.5 billion Terminal One at New York–JFK. Under the deal, Ferrovial is acquiring 96% of The Carlyle Global Infrastructure Fund’s 51% stake in New Terminal One. The completion of the transaction is subject […]

Aviation as an industry has suffered more than most because of the pandemic, writes Alpha Aviation’s founder and executive director, Bhanu Choudhrie. Indeed, airlines around the world have lost more than $200 billion, with the effects of travel bans and border closures eradicating nine years’ worth of profits. Any potential recovery has been hit further […]

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) today announced that the Civil Aviation Department has renewed its aerodrome licence, which for the first time includes its new third runway and associated taxiways. Operator, Airport Authority of Hong Kong (AAHK), plans to commence operations on the new runway later this year as scheduled. Meanwhile, the amendments to the […]

The ground-breaking ceremony for DHL’s new 4,880 square metre facility at Brisbane Airport took place earlier today. DHL Global Forwarding is investing A$17 million over ten years on the new complex, which will house the largest international cold chain services in Brisbane to meet the fast-growing demand for perishables. The new facility will also support […]

ACI World’s vice president of economics, Patrick Lucas, considers the importance of non-aeronautical revenue to airports and how diversifying activities can boost the bottom line. From a bare-bones perspective, aeronautical and non-aeronautical activity provide airports with their two main sources of revenue, with the latter significantly growing in importance over the past few decades as […]

Aviation industry executives met with government representatives in Montréal yesterday to detail industry aspirations for a long-term climate goal to be agreed for the sector at United Nations meetings later this year. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will debate the potential for a goal to decarbonise the air transport sector, with industry supporting a […]

The association’s 30th anniversary, recovering from COVID and smart technology were among the topics covered at ACI Africa’s Regional Conference and Exhibition in Kenya, writes strategy and business development director, Romesh Bhoyroo. The chance to meet face-to-face again at an ACI Africa event led to a healthy 300 delegates attending the ACI Africa Regional Conference […]

Gatwick is to start a focused statutory public consultation on its plans to bring the airport’s existing Northern Runway into routine use alongside its Main Runway. The consultation will focus on the airport’s updated highway design, which has changed in response to feedback received during the Autumn 2021 consultation. It will start on Tuesday, June […]

Asia-Pacific and the Middle East aviation industry is experiencing green shoots of recovery, according to the first edition of the Airport Industry Outlook, a quarterly report by Airports Council International Asia-Pacific (ACI APAC). The report, developed in partnership with Mott MacDonald — a global engineering, management and development consultancy— provides a snapshot of how airports […]

Airport charges, a much-debated topic between airport and airline industry bodies, have again come to the forefront as the industry rebuilds from the upheaval of the last few years. ACI World strongly advocates for the shift from heavy-handed regulation, arguing that cost-based pricing should be supplemented by responding to market signals and the competitive landscape. […]

The opening of the world’s first airport lounge for young travellers and a new innovation programme ensure that 2022 has got off to a good start for Istanbul Airport, writes Joe Bates. Istanbul Airport has been grabbing the headlines since its much-heralded opening in April 2019, and it continues to shine, leading Europe’s traffic recovery […]

The global mishandled baggage rate spiked by 24% to 4.35 bags per thousand passengers in 2021 as the industry began its recovery from the pandemic, according to the SITA Baggage IT Insights 2022, released today. The report shows passenger traffic has evolved since 2020, with most of the 2021 recovery being driven by domestic travel, […]

With over 200,000 passengers per day expected to pass through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, the gateway is urging travellers to plan ahead for parking and pick-up well in advance this year. “With passenger traffic reaching the highest levels since early 2020, guests who are travelling through LAX during […]

Fraport AG CEO, Dr Stefan Schulte, delivered a largely positive message to shareholders at the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) today. Schulte said: “The year 2021 has shown that we have bottomed out and are now climbing back up step-by-step in terms of traffic volumes. “At Frankfurt, we are getting ready for a busy summer. […]

Rohde & Schwarz and its local partner have been contracted by the Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) to equip nine regional towers across the country with new communication systems. It will provide the airports with its R&S Series5200 air traffic control (ATC) radio and CERTIUM VCS-4G, the company’s IP based voice communications system. “Rohde […]

VIEW THE ISSUE HERE Theme: Non-aeronautical revenues Airport profile: Istanbul Grand Airport World exclusive: Aerotropolis 4.0 Plus: ACI Africa’s Regional Conference The numbers game Airport World editor, Joe Bates, reflects on the latest traffic trends and the ‘non-aeronautical revenues’ theme of this issue. It almost seems wrong to be talking about the growing momentum of […]

As part of its commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030, Perth Airport has partnered with Carbon Neutral to offset its bus fleets as well as offering motorists the opportunity to offset their trip to and from the airport when booking parking online. Perth Airport CEO, Kevin Brown, said that Perth Airport has committed to […]

Changi Airport Group today announced that operations in Terminal 2 will resume on 29 May 2022, the first phase of the terminal’s re-opening as the gateway prepares to meet the expected increase in passenger traffic in the months ahead. Closed for an upgrade since May 2020, T2’s phased re-opening will augment Changi’s capacity. When completed […]

Cargo operations at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in March set a new all-time record for trade by value moved in a single month, with a total of $13.75 billion in global imports and exports. International trade at LAX in March 2022 increased 22.33% from the same month one year ago, and increased nearly 16% […]

Air travel in Europe is beginning to show signs of recovery, with ACI EUROPE today revising its forecast for 2022 to an expected -22% decline on pre-pandemic levels. It had previously predicted a -32% decline for 2022, but notes that its upward forecast comes with hefty warnings, with a full recovery to pre-pandemic volumes not […]

Stockholm Arlanda is to re-open Terminal 4 on June 15 to better equip it to cope with rising passenger numbers over what is expected to be a busy summer. Meanwhile, operator Swedavia, has announced that “major recruitment efforts are under way” in a bid to ease congestion at the airport principally caused by the lack […]

ACI World today launched its Airport Economics Report and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the financial year of 2020, providing the first in-depth global breakdown of airports’ financial activities during the first year of the pandemic. The annual ACI Airport Economics Report presents an in-depth global analysis of airport industry revenues by source, costs, and […]

Ryanair today opened its first aircraft heavy maintenance facility in Ireland at Shannon Airport, delivering an investment of €10 million and creating 200 high-skill jobs in the locality, including licensed engineers, mechanics, and support staff. The airline will invest €10 million in this state-of-the-art 5,200sqm facility, leased from Shannon Group, which will support the maintenance […]

Singapore’s Transport Minister, S Iswaran, has announced that the construction of Singapore Changi’s planned Terminal 5 is set to resume in two or three years’ time, ensuring that it is operational by the mid-2030s. Work on the project was halted in May 2020 when the global COVID-19 pandemic began to bite in Singapore, and passenger […]

TAV Airports has announced that it has been recognised as a ‘great place to work’ by the Great Place to Work Turkey Institute. The news comes as many airports struggle to attract new staff to replace those that they were forced to let go, or who quit or retired during the darkest days of the […]

Irish airport operator, daa, has announced that its CEO, Dalton Philips, plans to step down from his current role in September 2022. He will continue to lead daa as CEO through the anticipated busy summer season at Dublin and Cork airports before joining Greencore Group plc in the autumn. With businesses in 15 countries around […]

Four projects that improved passenger and cargo operations at Miami International Airport were recognised with 2022 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The awards honour innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents. Nationally, awards are given in 18 different categories, such as Children and Youth, Criminal Justice and Public […]

The number of passengers passing through Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) last month was nearly 7% above the April 2019 total, beating pre-pandemic levels for the second straight month, officials announced today. A total of 476,000 passengers used the gateway last month, 6.92% more than April three years ago. The number of domestic travellers […]

Perth Airport says that returning passengers will notice ‘some changes’ in its International terminal that it believes will further enhance the passenger experience. “To streamline passenger check-in, an exciting new addition is the conversion of 16 check-in counters at T1 International into automated bag drops and 36 new self-check-in kiosks in what was the queuing […]

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) welcomed four million passengers in April 2022 – 303% more than it did during the same month a year ago. As a result, Germany’s largest aviation hub recorded its strongest traffic month since the beginning of the pandemic – with April 2022 passenger numbers even exceeding the monthly levels achieved during last year’s […]

United Airlines has become the first US carrier to make an international purchase agreement for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) after signing a deal with Neste for supplies at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The deal provides United with the right to buy up to 160,000 tonnes (52.5 million gallons) of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ over the […]

Swedavia has begun the build up to Malmö Airport’s 50th anniversary later this year by highlighting how its development over the years has benefitted the southern Swedish province of Scania and the Öresund region. “After more than two years of pandemic, naturally it feels really great to have the opportunity to highlight Malmö Airport’s role […]

ACI World and Amadeus are inviting submissions for their 2022 Technology Innovation Awards, which are designed to celebrate the important role technology will play in helping shape the evolution of airports and the passenger experience. ACI airport members are encouraged to submit their candidacy to the Amadeus and ACI World Technology Innovation Awards, which will […]

Qatar’s Hamad International Airport is today reporting that it enjoyed a 162% increase in passenger traffic during the first quarter of 2022 compared to the same period a year ago. A total of 7.14 million passengers passed through the gateway in the first quarter of 2022, starting off with 2.1 million in January and February […]

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has announced a Harmonising Air Travel policy, which it says will make international travel to the Kingdom “simpler, easier and more enjoyable by removing the confusion over travel requirements currently discouraging millions of people from booking flights”. Designed in co-operation with the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation […]

Europe’s airports continue to target sustainable growth, with 12 gateways today being recognised for achieving either Level 4 or Level 4+ status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme. The airports comprise Basel-Mulhouse Airport in France/Switzerland; Lisbon, Porto, Madeira, Faro, Flores, Porto Santo, Horta, Santa Maria, Ponta Delgada airports in Portugal; and Stockholm Arlanda and Göteborg […]

Vehicles operating at Edinburgh Airport are now being powered by vegetable oil as the airport continues to look at ways of reducing its emissions. Thirty-four vehicles have made the change from diesel to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) which is a renewable diesel alternative that eliminates up to 90% of net carbon dioxide emissions whilst also […]

The recovery in air travel across Sweden accelerated in April, with more than 2.2 million passengers passing through the country’s airports – the highest monthly total since February 2020. According to airport operator, Swedavia, strong demand, the launch of new operations by airlines and investments in new routes in time for summer are driving the […]

PortsToronto, owner and operator of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, has unveiled a large-scale granite and bronze sculpture to recognise the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. It is said to pay tribute to their relationship to the land, air and water on which the airport now operates. The sculpture was created by David General, […]

San Francisco International Airport’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1 has been honoured by the American Institute of Architects, San Francisco (AIASF), winning its People’s Choice Award for projects over $10 million. “Harvey Milk Terminal 1 set a new benchmark for the airport experience at SFO,” enthuses airport director, Ivar Satero. “This facility embodies the very best […]

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) has unveiled a varied menu of new restaurants and retail shops for the next phase 2 its ongoing development programme. The selections for Phase 2 of the New SLC Redevelopment Program are said to provide a snapshot into the area’s local flavour as well as a taste of well-known […]

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) has apologised for the inconvenience to air travellers resulting from the recent increase in wait times at some major airports. In a direct message to passengers, CATSA CEO, Mike Saunders, assured the travelling public that the federal Crown corporation is aggressively working to address the situation. Saunders said: […]

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has announced that its passenger traffic has rebounded to pre-COVID-19 levels and that its commercial revenues in March 2022 topped those recorded in March 2019. Specifically, duty-free sales at the KKIA climbed substantially in March 2022, with a growth rate of 62% compared to March 2019 (and […]

Tom Ruth, the enthusiastic and forward thinking president and CEO of Edmonton International Airport (EIA), has announced that will leave his position at the end of 2022 after more than nine years in the hot seat. The Canadian gateway’s Board of Directors described him as a visionary leader that had inspired major changes, growth and […]

Gerald R Ford International Airport yesterday raised a ceremonial beam to celebrate its $110 million expansion of Concourse A to accommodate passenger growth. As air travel in West Michigan nears pre-pandemic levels, Ford International Airport gathered federal, state and regional business and community leaders to commemorate the project, which will create 125 new construction jobs and […]

What did you do during the pandemic? Terri Morrisey and Dr Richard Plenty reflect on how the way airports acted during COVID might affect their recovery. Airports are coming back to life. Travel restrictions are easing, and more people are prepared to travel than in the last two years. How are airports dealing with this […]

Travel retail operator, Gebr. Heinemann, enjoyed an upturn in revenues in 2021 despite ongoing travel restrictions in the wake of the global pandemic. In spite of the restrictions, especially in the first half of the year, and the continued absence of Asian travellers, the Hamburg-based operator says that it “achieved solid turnover and focused on […]

Apron operations and efficiency across the entire airport can be improved by the integration of information and technology, writes Jodi Richards. Arguably, the current volatility of trafffic levels has made the need for flexibility, close collaboration and constant communication all the more critical for airports as they strive to best meet demand. It certainly provides […]

The latest news from ACI’s World Business Partners. Ensuring the better use and cleaning of airport restrooms While airports have always had to maintain high hygiene standards, the pandemic has forced a renewed focus on how high-touch, high-traffic areas are used, cleaned, and sanitised writes Veovo’s Christian Carstens. Previously, for example, it was enough to […]

Despite challenging circumstances due to multiple waves of COVID, Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) recorded its highest-ever cargo volumes in its last financial year (FY2022). The gateway reports that it handled an all-time high tonnage of 411,513 tonnes of cargo, recording a growth of 26% as against 326,643M processed in FY2021. International cargo recorded a […]

Natale Chieppa, managing director of Palermo-Falcone Borsellino Airport operator, Gesap, reflects on the vital role his gateway plays in the growth and development of Sicily. How important is your airport to the city and region you serve in terms of connectivity, jobs and its economic and social impact? All regional airports are important, but arguably […]

Air travel continued its recovery in Sweden during the first quarter of 2022, with four times as many passengers passing through the country’s airports than the same period a year ago. A total four million passengers used the country’s gateways in Q1, the upturn in traffic providing a much needed financial boost for airport operator, […]

Flying taxis are a step closer to reality today following the opening of the world’s first fully operational demonstration hub for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles such as air taxis and autonomous cargo drones. Air-One, as it has been named by creator, Urban-Air Port, is located in the heart of Coventry in the […]

ACI World has today announced the 2021 inductees into the ACI Director General’s Roll of Excellence, recognising airports that have consistently delivered exceptional customer experience in the opinion of travellers. The honour is conferred to airports that have won multiple awards over a five-year period in the last 10 years as part of the Airport […]

David Ciceo, managing director of Cluj International Airport, tells us more about how Romania’s second busiest airport has fared over the last two years and why he has high hopes for the future. How important is your airport to the city and region you serve in terms of connectivity, jobs and its economic and social […]

Airport World takes a closer look at the opening of new facilities in Santiago, New York, Memphis, Geneva and Atlanta and get a glimpse of what’s to come with JFK’s Terminal One. Uniquely Chilean surprise and delight Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) opened its new Terminal 2 in January, 2022, the state-of-the-art complex […]

After using the traffic downturn to rebuild its main runway, Cork Airport’s managing director, Niall MacCarthy, feels that the Irish gateway is in a good position to bounce back better. How important is your airport to the city and region you serve in terms of connectivity, jobs and its economic and social impact? Prior to […]

The Federal Aviation Administration and US airports have launched an Airport Climate Challenge to help achieve the Biden-Harris Administration goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Airports can take advantage of several FAA funding programmes to meet this goal, including grants for low- or zero-emissions vehicles, renewable energy production, energy assessments and other efforts. The challenge […]

The Design Solution’s Robbie Gill considers some of the challenges facing Europe’s regional airports when it comes to enhancing their retail/F&B offerings. Despite the unprecedented and continuing pressures imposed on non-aviation revenues by the COVID crisis, a number of Europe’s regional airports are developing a stronger position to drive their revenue recovery path, particularly among […]

Ontario International Airport (ONT) had eagerly awaited a month in which passenger volumes would be higher than the same month before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the wait is over as the gateway welcomed 454,000 travellers last month, 4% more than in March 2019. “Ontario is setting the pace of recovery among […]

Maryland officials last night welcomed PLAY Airlines and the start of its new international service between Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Reykjavik, Iceland. The airline will operate daily non-stop services between BWI and Iceland, with convenient connections to more than 20 cities across Europe. The US airport notes that it is the first North […]

ACI World today released a first of its kind guidance, the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Management Best Practice, to help airports define and strengthen their ESG reporting framework to position themselves for future growth. According to ACI World, as airports continue to recover, they are faced with the pre-pandemic challenge of investing in infrastructure […]

Christchurch Airport’s ongoing sustainability achievements have recorded a new milestone – the airport has achieved being beyond carbon neutral, to become climate positive. Its general manager for planning and sustainability, Nick Flack, believes that the move makes his gateway a global leader in the transition of airports and aviation to a lower carbon future. “Achieving […]

Last November, President Biden signed the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill into law, roughly doubling the current infrastructure funding levels to give US airports an unprecedented opportunity to make significant facility reinvestments for the future. With the appropriation of $25 billion of aviation infrastructure funds to be distributed over the next five years, $5 billion […]

The upgrade of Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport continued this week with the opening of the Serbian gateway’s new Pier C. The new 13,600sqm addition to the airport provides an extra 13 boarding gates, meaning that Terminal C is now equipped with 19 gates. According to operator, VINCI Airports, the new facilities are in line with […]

ACI Asia-Pacific’s regional director, Stefano Baronci, provides an update on how airports in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific are faring in their recovery from COVID. What is the prognosis for the recovery of international traffic across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions in 2022? We expect Asia-Pacific and the Middle East to recover at rates […]

Spanish airport operator, Aena, reports that its recovery from the global pandemic gathered pace in March, with passenger numbers across its network now back to 78% of 2019 levels. Aena welcomed 15.5 million passengers (+387%), 152,770 air traffic movements (+86%) and 92,300 tonnes of cargo (+8.8%) in March 2022 compared to the same month a […]

Despite the uncertainty caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the ongoing threat of COVID-19, the desire across Europe for intra-European travel is undoubtedly strong, according to the latest research by the European Travel Commission (ETC). Indeed, it claims that three in four Europeans intend to take a trip in the next six months, […]

Local artist, Carmen Taylor, has finished a vibrant new mural at Tulsa International Airport called ‘IMAGINE’. Located outside the Departures roadway across from the American and Delta ticket counters, the mural features three children seated on the backs of scissor-tailed flycatchers soaring through the air in front of the word ‘IMAGINE’. The kids are engaged […]

Brisbane Airport (BNE) is planning to deliver a A$72 million Queensland Regional Aeromedical Base that will connect more Queenslanders to major hospitals and life-saving medical care. The 14,470sqm multi-tenanted facility will be located between Brisbane Airport’s two runways at the Airport North Precinct and will accommodate the Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS), LifeFlight, and Queensland […]

ACI World today confirmed what many had long suspected, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) regained its status as the world’s busiest airport in 2021 by handing 75.7 million passengers – 76% more than in the previous 12 months. Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) was the world’s second busiest gateway in 2021, handling 62.4 million passengers (+58%), followed by Denver […]

Hamad International Airport’s chief operating officer, Badr Mohammed Al Meer, talks to Joe Bates about traffic trends, IT innovation and expansion plans for 2022 and beyond. The opening of Hamad International Airport (DOH) in April 2014 signalled the start of a new era for Doha and Qatar and the gateway certainly hasn’t disappointed, racking up […]

The President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, together with the CEO of VINCI Concessions and president of VINCI Airports, Nicolas Notebaert, have inaugurated the new central atrium of the Las Américas International in Santo Domingo. The €14 million upgrade is part of VINCI Airports’ “modernisation and optimisation plan” for the gateway to improve the […]

President and CEO, Jerry Dann, tells Joe Bates more about the ambitions and future development plans of Taoyuan International Airport. Can you tell us more about your planned new Terminal 3 and how big a milestone is it for the airport? It is a huge milestone for Taoyuan International Airport [TPE] as it will boost […]

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) is proposing a new concourse at Washington Dulles International Airport to replace outdoor boarding areas currently used by regional flights, upgrade aircraft service facilities and bring new conveniences and amenities to passengers. The proposed Tier-2 Concourse (East) would be a modern 14-gate facility with convenient access to the airport’s […]

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport today revealed that it is working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to establish a Joint Innovation Centre (JIC) that it hopes will drive the development and adoption of digital solutions in aviation. According to Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the JIC will also enable start-ups to accelerate innovation in aviation, smart […]

ACI EUROPE today released its air traffic report for February 2022, which shows that previously stalled passenger numbers due to the COVID-19 Omicron wave resumed an upward trajectory during the month. Accordingly, compared to pre-pandemic (2019) levels, passenger volumes across the European airport network stood at -39% during the month, up from -45.7% in January. […]

Meticulous planning keeps the US’s busiest airport on track during often complex infrastructure development projects, writes Skanska’s Matt Frey. Considering that it accommodates one of the largest passenger volumes of any airport in the world, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has a relatively petite footprint with little surrounding area to expand. This means that when […]

An estimated 1.3 million passengers will travel through London Stansted over the Easter holidays, making it the busiest period for travel for the UK gateway since before the pandemic began. With many people not having travelled in the last two years, the airport is encouraging passengers to arrive in good time for their flights and […]

Atkins – a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group – has been appointed by daa as the multi-disciplinary consultant for the delivery of a services framework for its buildings at Dublin and Cork airports. The appointment will see Atkins work along with daa’s in-house design team on a major programme of work over the next five […]

Serkan Kaptan is to replace the long serving Sani Şener as the CEO of global airport operator, TAV Airports, on May 1. Şener, one of the founding partners of the company back in 1997, is stepping down from the position to take up the role of deputy chairman of the board. Kaptan has served as […]

Global airport operator, Fraport AG, has announced its intention to sell its 24.5% stake in China’s Xi’an Xianyang International Airport. Fraport, which earlier this month announced plans to divest itself of its shares in St Petersburg’s Polkovo Airport following Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, has agreed to sell its shares in Xi’an Xianyang to Chang’an […]

San Diego International Airport is celebrating the launch of non-stop Lufthansa services to Munich, which will initially be served by three weekly A350-900 flights to Germany. “We are happy to welcome Lufthansa back to San Diego and celebrate the first flight to Munich,” enthused Kimberly Becker, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority’s president and CEO. […]

A humanitarian hub has been set up at London Luton Airport to provide practical support for air passengers arriving from war-torn Ukraine. Organised by Bedfordshire’s Local Resilience Forum which brings together partners such as local authorities, NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups, emergency services, the charity and voluntary sector and the airport, the hub operates by providing […]

At the 2022 ACI EUROPE Regional Airports’ Conference and Exhibition (RACE) taking place in Palermo, the European airport industry marked a key milestone of more than 200 airports engaged in climate action within Airport Carbon Accreditation. At the latest count, 204 European airports were engaged in climate action at one of the 6 available certification […]

ACI EUROPE’s director general, Olivier Jankovec, reflects on some of the key challenges faced by the industry and Europe’s regional airports as aviation recovers from the global pandemic. As a reader of Airport World, you will be no stranger to the magnitude of the challenge facing Europe’s airports as they seek to restart and build […]

Following what it described as a highly competitive tender process, daa International has been awarded a five-year management contract for King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Working in partnership with JEDCO, daa International will manage and advise on operations and non-aeronautical revenue and facilities management at KAIA. The international subsidiary of Irish […]

Fraport TAV Antalya today confirmed the extension of its contract to operate and develop Antalya Airport in Turkey until 2052 by paying 25% of the €7.25 billion concession fee. A ceremony held in Istanbul to mark the occasion was attended by the Turkish Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Adil Karaismailoglu, general manager of the State […]

UK airports have lost £10 billion in revenue since the first lockdown in March 2020 and have taken on more than £4 billion in debt, according to new analysis by the Airport Operators Association (AOA). Its new report, Reconnecting the UK: recovering aviation connectivity, shows that 2021 was worse than 2020, with airports seeing the lowest […]

Global airport operators Groupe ADP and GMR Airports today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus, Axens and Safranto to conduct a joint study on Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and their potential in India. The objective of the study, conducted under the lead and co-ordination of Groupe ADP and GMR Airports, is to understand […]

The first phase of the Will Rogers World Airport Terminal Expansion project in Oklahoma City is complete. Led by HOK and Oklahoma City-based FSB, the expansion is designed to put the “world” back in Will Rogers World Airport, adding a new east concourse with four new gates (along with the flexibility to open six more […]

The Board of Commissioners has voted unanimously to appoint Atif Elkadi as chief executive officer of Southern California’s Ontario International Airport, effective from March 31, 2022. Elkadi joined Ontario International Airport (ONT) in 2017 and has served as deputy chief executive officer for the past three years. His extensive background in airport operations, management and communications includes […]

ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, celebrates the announcement of the 2021 ASQ Award winners and recipients of the Voice of the Customer recognition. As is customary every March, I am pleased to report – for my second year – that ACI has announced the winners of the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards, […]

Cork Airport has introduced significant upgrades to the corkairport.com website, including a 24/7 webchat facility along with flight information details for departing and arriving passengers via WhatsApp. Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cork Airport recorded an increased number of queries from departing and arriving passengers, particularly around government travel advice, international travel restrictions […]

VIEW THE ISSUE HERE Theme: Europe’s regional airports Airport reports: Hamad & Taoyuan Interviewed: ACI Asia-Pacific’s Stefano Baronci Plus: Airport design; WBP news & People matters Little and large Airport World editor, Joe Bates, reflects on the key role regional airports play for their local communites and regions. By the time you read this, the […]

Hamburg Airport has become the first major commercial airport in Germany to achieve CO2-neutral operations according to Airport Carbon Accreditation guidelines. Airport CEO, Michael Eggenschwiler, said that numerous internal measures and woodland projects made the achievement possible. And he stressed that Hamburg Airport is continuously optimising its technical building infrastructure to reduce the gateway’s impact […]

Istanbul Airport may just have achieved another first by opening what it believes is the world’s first airport ‘Youth Lounge’ for passengers in the 15-30 year age group. It promises that the new facility – located in the international departures level – will offer “an exclusive, relaxing, and enjoyable travel experience to young people” as […]

A driverless shuttle, owned by Solihull Council and designed and built in Coventry, made its debut in the grounds of a UK airport for the first time this week. Aurrigo, which employs over 70 people at its Advanced Engineering Centre, will deploy its 10-seater Auto-Shuttle alongside live traffic on the roads of Birmingham Airport. The […]

The Air Navigation and Weather Services (ANWS) of Chinese Taipei has chosen Rohde & Schwarz to equip the nation’s airports with reliable communications and the highest level of security in case of emergencies. “This contract underscores our commitment to providing uncompromising quality to our customer and partner ANWS,” said Marius Münstermann, Rohde & Schwarz’s vice […]

Dubai International Airport (DXB) today confirmed plans to close its northern runway for a 45-day period between May 9 and June 22, 2022, to allow for its refurbishment. While regular runway maintenance is scheduled on a weekly basis, it notes that more extensive upgrades such as the one planned require a complete closure of the […]

Ryanair today announced its decarbonisation strategy, Pathway to Net Zero, outlining its plans to become carbon neutral by 2050. It says that its new green strategy is based on four core pillars designed to reduce its carbon emissions and the impact of its operations on the environment. It essence, it wants to achieve: • 34% […]

Air Marakanda, operator of the newly-expanded and redeveloped Samarkand International Airport, officially opened the airport’s new state-of-the-art terminal today. Passengers onboard flight HY-045/046 from Tashkent were the first to use the new terminal. The public-private partnership responsible for the $80 million project comprises Air Marakanda and state partner Uzbekistan Airports JCS. The construction work was […]

Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) has signed the World Economic Forum’s Clean Skies for Tomorrow 2030 Ambition Statement, building on its commitment to sustainability leadership in aviation. As a signatory, BAC has committed to working with more than 100 other airports, airlines, fuel suppliers and industry stakeholders to put the global aviation sector on the path […]

Turin-Caselle Airport (TRN) in Italy has begun trials of a new personal mobility devices for passengers with reduced mobility. Ongoing trials are aimed at testing the SEDIA (SEat Designed for Intelligent Autonomy) wheelchair, an innovative device with autonomous driving and voice commands. It has been developed by start-up Alba Robot as part of Torino City […]

ACI EUROPE has launched a fundraising campaign to help the relief efforts triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent humanitarian crisis. The Ukraine Crisis Airport Response is a joint initiative between ACI EUROPE and Airlink, the not-for-profit humanitarian logistics organisation and is the first time that the association has partnered with Airlink on […]

Emirates SkyCargo is to “reactivate” its cargo hub at Dubai World Central (DWC) for dedicated freighter aircraft operations from March 26, 2022. The move to reinstate operation at Emirates SkyCentral DWC will mark a return to dual hub cargo operations in Dubai for the air cargo carrier after a period of nearly two years. In […]

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is to rename its North Terminal in honour of long serving Wayne County executive, Warren Evans. Operator, Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA), says that from April 4, 2022, the North Terminal will officially become the Warren Cleage Evans Terminal. The terminal opened in 2008 to offer customers what was […]

Heathrow has announced that it will no longer be compulsory to wear face coverings in any of its terminals, rail stations or office buildings from tomorrow. Hub carrier, British Airways, and fellow UK airline, Virgin Atlantic, welcomed the move, and have indicated that they will be revising their onboard face covering policies as well. The […]

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Terminal 1 on Monday, March 14. When it opened, Terminal 1 was one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in Europe and meant that for the first time at the German airport, all key passenger-facing processes, from check-in to boarding, were under one roof. […]

ACI World has today revealed the recipients of this year’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards which celebrate and showcase the world’s best airports as voiced by travellers. The COVID-19 pandemic continued to have a major impact on passenger traffic in 2021 with evolving health measures and a new set of expectations affecting how the airport […]

Global ground services provider, dnata, has been appointed to manage easyJet’s inflight retail services across the airline’s extensive network. The contract marks a significant milestone for dnata’s growing catering and retail business, cementing its position as a leading end-to-end inflight and airport service provider, globally. The partnership will see dnata deliver a tailor-made on-board retail […]

Leeds Bradford Airport in the UK is withdrawing its planning application for a replacement terminal building following what it calls “excessive delays and the decision to call in plans by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities”. With large investment in the scheme so far, airport bosses say they are not prepared […]

According to Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), travellers at LAX may start arriving even earlier now that they can play their favourite video games while waiting for flights. Its bold prediction follows the opening of Gameway, a premium video game lounge, in Terminal 6. Working in partnership with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), LAWA is confident that the […]

As part of American Airlines’ ongoing commitment to Miami and Miami International Airport (MIA), the airline is adding more than 600 home-based reservations jobs. American currently has 200 new representatives in training, and a goal to hire more than 400 in the next couple of months, bringing the total of home-based reservations agents to nearly […]

VINCI Airports is celebrating International Women’s Day by simultaneously hosting the first-ever global NFT exhibition showcasing the work of 22 female artists across 20 of its airports in Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Brazil, France, Japan, Portugal and Serbia. Some of the artworks were first presented at the World Economic Forum, raising more than $250,000 for […]

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has selected Cushman & Wakefield as its exclusive advisor to secure a partner to invest, complete construction and lease-up of a 300,000-square-foot facility near the airport’s main terminal. The facility was initially designed to create additional capacity in utilities when the airport was experiencing double-digit growth. However, with a view to […]

Passengers flying from London Stansted this summer will be able to enjoy a range of new bars, restaurants and retail outlets thanks to a major refurbishment of its departure lounge. More than £12 million is being invested by the airport and its retail partners to improve the customer experience as it prepares for the expected […]

Dublin Airport is expecting more than 720,000 passengers to arrive and depart over a ten-day period from Saturday March 12 to Monday March 22 as part of this year’s extended national celebrations for St Patrick’s Day. Passengers will also be arriving for the St Patrick’s Festival celebrations, and Dublin Airport is delighted to proudly support […]

Global airport operator, Fraport, is looking to offload its interests in Pulkovo Airport in St Petersburg in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “There is no justification for the attack on Ukraine by Russian forces. We condemn this war for being an armed attack on a sovereign state and its people – a clear […]

Rome airport operator, Aeroporti di Roma (ADR), and PwC Italia have created a partnership for ‘Open Innovation’ services in the Airport sector. According to ADR, the agreement is part of its sustainability and innovation strategy and will lead to the development of an Innovation Hub and new ‘innovative ecosystem’ which it hopes will become a […]

Gatwick Airport believes that it has developed a new handheld digital platform that will transform the efficiency of aircraft turnarounds, reducing delays and unnecessary fuel burn on the ground. Its AirTurn platform allows ground handlers to update air traffic controllers about changes to the turn process – in real time, direct from the apron. This […]

Brisbane Airport (BNE) has welcomed Emirates’ A380 back to Queensland’s skies for the first time in nearly three years, with the iconic superjumbo returning to the gateway last night. Emirates’ A380 will resume daily services between BNE and Dubai (DXB), replacing the airline’s other wide-body aircraft that serviced the route throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the […]

London City Airport (LCY) has hosted its first job fair since the start of the global pandemic to showcase the current employment opportunities available across the airport campus. Almost people turned up for the event over last weekend, with around one in 3 of them applying for live vacancies. Other airport partners, such as Swissport, […]

Dublin Airport has a potential new haunt for St Patrick’s Day after celebrating the official opening of a new immersive Guinness Bar Experience in Terminal 1. The new Guinness Bar will offer passengers an immersive experience pre-flight where they can sample a range of beers and ciders including Guinness, Ireland’s favourite stout, and Guinness 0.0, […]

The global pandemic removed 5.4 billion passengers from the skies last year compared to the pre-COVID-19 forecast for 2021, according to ACI World. The total represents a loss of 55% of global passenger traffic and was less than half of what it was in 2019, with traffic for 2021 totalling only 4.4 billion (48.3%) of the […]

In an effort to reduce waste, Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) is partnering with Containers for Change (COEX) to launch a 12-month trial at Brisbane Airport’s Domestic Terminal. As part of the trial, two Donation Stations have been installed in the terminal, allowing passengers to return containers eligible under Queensland’s Container Refund Scheme (CRS) while also […]

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has announced that its Harvey Milk Terminal 1 has become the first airport terminal in the world to earn ‘Platinum’ certification for using the latest standards from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) programme developed by the US Green Building Council. This latest version, known as LEED v4, […]

Toronto Pearson operator, Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), has marked the National Day for Human Trafficking Awareness by announcing a partnership with #NotInMyCity, an anti-human trafficking initiative dedicated to preventing and ending human trafficking. “As Canada’s largest airport, we recognise the critical role we play to bring visibility to the injustices and remove the hidden […]

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has opened the application process for US airports to submit projects for the first $1 billion of the Airport Terminal Program funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It notes that the grant will fund safe, sustainable and accessible airport terminals, on-airport rail access projects and airport-owned airport traffic control […]

Ferrovial Airports is about to widen its international portfolio after entering negotiations to secure a stake in the consortium responsible for building the new $9.5 billion Terminal One at New York JFK and agreeing to acquire a major interest in Dalaman Airport in Turkey. It announced today that it has reached an “exclusivity agreement” with […]

Melbourne Airport (MEL) today welcomed back international tourists from around the globe to Victoria for the first time in almost two years. This morning two of Melbourne’s top chefs were among those at MEL’s international terminal to provide a warm welcome to arriving passengers. Frank Camorra of MoVida and Shane Delia of Maha surprised some […]

Aer Rianta International (ARI), a subsidiary of the state owned daa and the first company to operate duty-free shops in the world, has been chosen as the partner of choice by ANA Aeroportos de Portugal (ANA) to form a joint venture company to operate their portfolio of duty free and duty paid retail concessions in […]

Shell announced today that it has become the first supplier of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to customers at Singapore Changi. It notes that it has also completed the upgrading of its facility in Singapore which will enable blending of SAF in Singapore. The company believes that its announcement represents a significant milestone for the aviation […]

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) is launching an expanded concessions sustainability programme as part of its on-going sustainability efforts. The new initiative, announced at Wednesday’s Board of Directors meeting, will grant ‘Green Concessions’ certifications to participating airport concessionaries. “Concessions sustainability is a significant part of the airports authority’s overall Corporate Social Responsibility Plan,” said […]

Quito International Airport, one of the world’s biggest handlers of fresh flowers, processed an astonishing 20,112 tonnes of flowers in the 23 days building up to and including Valetine’s Day. “This achievement is all the more commendable because we were still in the midst of a battle with the omicron variant and, despite all the […]

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has selected Collins Aerospace to provide passenger processing and baggage systems at Nepal’s Tribhuvan (KTM), Gautam Buddha (BWA) and Pokhara (PKR) international airports. According to Collins, its solutions will help the airports ease congestion; enable airlines to accelerate passenger processing and sort, route and handle baggage with higher accuracy; […]

London City Airport (LCY) in the UK today opened its first electric car charging stations. The airport is initially offering seven new charging stations for use by its passengers, staff and black cab community. LCY says that it wants to play its part in encouraging the uptake of electric car journeys across London and anticipates […]

Ontario International Airport (ONT) in Southern California reports that its passenger numbers soared by 123% in January compared with the same month last year, providing officials a sense of optimism for air travel in 2022. The total number of air travellers – 339,736 – was almost 86% of the pre-pandemic level in January 2019. Domestic […]

Milan airport operator, SEA, and Airbus, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the study and implementation of projects for the distribution of hydrogen at Linate and Malpensa airports. Airbus is expected to produce the first hydrogen-powered aircraft around 2035, which SEA claims implies that airports should work on their “readiness” and be prepared […]

Ground handler, Havaş has added Zagreb Airport to its list of customers, meaning that the TAV Airports/Groupe ADP company, now operates at 31 airports in Turkey, Latvia and Croatia. Havaş will provide passenger, ramp, representation and supervision services, flight operation, load control, communication, cargo and mail services at Zagreb Airport. “We focus on constantly improving […]

The CEO of Dubai Airports underlined the transport hub’s commitment to helping eradicate the illegal trade in wildlife after signing a declaration at a special event with Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge and founder of The Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife. Paul Griffiths spoke after becoming the latest signatory of The Buckingham Palace Declaration, […]

London’s Gatwick Airport is to reopen its South Terminal in March – nearly two years after its ‘temporary closure’ – to help meet the expected strong demand for international travel this summer and beyond. The news comes on the day that testing requirements for those arriving into the UK have been eased significantly, with fully […]

ACI World today recognised the airports that it says have continued to prioritise listening and adapting to customers during the pandemic. Over 200 airports from across the globe have been recognised in this year’s The Voice of the Customer initiative, which for the second year running was sponsored by Amadeus. To qualify, an airport member […]

Heathrow today unveiled a refreshed sustainability strategy, which it says will play a key role in its development over the decade ahead. It says that ‘Heathrow 2.0: Connecting People and Planet’ outlines how it will build back better with sustainability front of mind as the UK and aviation industry emerges from the pandemic and ramps […]

Miami International Airport (MIA) is handling in excess of 300,000 flowers daily this week in the build up to Valentine’s Day. The Florida gateway receives 91% of all flowers imported to the US, primarily from South American countries such as Colombia and Ecuador, the annual total amounting to more than 236,000 tons of produce valued […]

National Aviation Services (NAS) and NAC2000 Corporation today launched their Pearl Lounge at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) in Lusaka, Zambia. Located in the airport’s new terminal, the lounge is part of Zambia Airports Corporation Limited’s (ZACL) efforts to upgrade international airports in the country. Last June, ZACL awarded a five-year tender to NAS and […]

The airport security market size is anticipated to record a valuation of $25 billion by 2028, according to the most recent study by Global Market Insights Inc. The market growth can be attributed to an increase in the volume of air passengers across the globe. According to its findings, the Real-Time Locating System (RTLS) segment in the […]

London Stansted expects to set a yearly traffic high this weekend when some 90,000 passengers pass through its facilities. The UK airport expects the start of the half-term holidays for schools to result in winter sun-seekers and skiers being among the passengers who will be departing from the airport between February 11-13. The numbers are […]

Brisbane Airport operator, Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC), has admitted that it is “ecstatic” at today’s Australian government announcement that its international borders will reopen to fully vaccinated travellers from February 21. By fully vaccinated, the government clarifies that it means all those who are double-vaccinated with a recognised COVID-19 vaccine. According to BAC, today’s announcement […]

The Destination 2050 associations and their members today endorsed the ‘Toulouse Declaration’ – the first-ever public-private initiative setting a joint vision and supporting European aviation’s goal to reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. This is also the first joint initiative of its kind globally, aligning all European stakeholders on the principles and actions needed […]

Irish airport operator, daa, has signed up to the Toulouse Declaration on Future Sustainability and Decarbonisation of Aviation, which was announced on Friday at a European Aviation Summit in France. The declaration recognises the need for immediate action to decarbonise aviation while continuing to improve regional and global multimodal connectivity in Europe and globally. As […]

Airport World discovers that despite Kazakhstan’s recent troubles, the future of Almaty Airport looks bright under the ownership of TAV Airports. Almaty Airport is under new ownership after global airport operator, TAV Airports, completed its acquisition of an 85% stake in the Kazakhstan gateway earlier this year. The deal is expected to take the gateway […]

Miami International Airport (MIA), one of the busiest cargo gateways in North America, handled a record 2.7 million tons of freight in 2021. The total is even more impressive as it shattered its previous record of 2.3 million tons, set the previous year, by 17%. International freight grew by 17% to 2.2 million tons, while […]

The newly remodelled Adelholzener Bar in Terminal 2 at Munich Airport offers visitors an Alpine setting to enjoy their soft drinks, draft beers or Bavarian favourites such as veal sausages and meatloaf! The airport used the pandemic forced closure of the departures area bar to carry out extensive renovations, and according to the gateway, the […]

Terri Morrissey and Dr Richard Plenty look back at a tough year for airports and consider some of the human resources challenges that may lie ahead in 2022. It is December 2021 and we have been living and working with this pandemic for almost two years. It is timely to reflect and take stock of […]

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) today announced that low-cost carrier PLAY is to launch daily international flights to Iceland from Stewart International Airport. It notes that the service to Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, will launch in June and be a major step ahead in the Port Authority’s efforts to expand air […]

Nationally renowned artists Adam Kuby and Patrick Marold have designed new art installations for Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) as part of its Terminal Modernisation Programme (TMP). The jewel in the crown of the TMP will, of course, be the airport’s new passenger terminal but operator, Allegheny County Airport Authority, notes that “artwork reflective of Pittsburgh’s […]

ACI Europe and IATA are urging Europe’s governments to lift all travel restrictions for fully vaccinated/recovered individuals holding a valid COVID Certificate – as advised by the new regime for travel within the EU which comes into force today. This new regime, set out by an EU Council Recommendation adopted on January 25, is based […]

Global service provider, dnata, is to invest more than €200 million on a fully automated cargo centre at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. Set to open in 2024, it believes that dnata Cargo City Amsterdam will be one of the largest and most advanced facilities of its kind that will “significantly enhance cargo capacity in The Netherlands […]

A new more environmentally friendly energy plant is being put into operation at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport. Using more efficient energy sources and switching from heavy fuels to natural gas, the new heating plant is expected to significantly reduce the Serbian gateway’s carbon footprint. According to operator, VINCI Airports, the plant’s opening is another important […]

LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP), the private entity managing and redeveloping LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, has announced the opening of the second pedestrian skybridge, making the New York gateway the first airport in the world with dual skybridges. Spanning 482 feet the western skybridge is the final piece of the interior of the Terminal B facility to […]

Heathrow’s latest F&B offering, a 1930s Shanghai inspired Chinese restaurant, Shan Shui, has opened for business in Terminal 2. The outlet, officially opened this week by renowned restaurateur Ellen Chew, will double as a private viewing gallery with panoramic views of the runway. According to the operator, at its heart, Shan Shui will be all […]

More than a third of commercial pilots are still not flying for a living – and one in five remains unemployed – as the pandemic continues to take its toll on the profession, according to The Pilot Survey 2022. The survey questioned 1,743 professional pilots about their work status and attitudes to their career, almost […]

Norwegian is set to re-open its cabin crew base at Arlanda with the new employees becoming its first crew based in Sweden since the pandemic started in 2020. According to Swedish airport operator, Swedavia, the airline is planning to operate a network of 54 non-stop routes to Europe from Stockholm Arlanda this summer. And, as […]

Templemere’s Clare Williams Fannin takes a look at how digital technology is transforming the passenger experience. From facial recognition at passport control to high-tech baggage handling, airports have often been at the cutting-edge when it comes to the adoption of technology, and these solutions are being effectively utilised at busy travel hubs to improve efficiency […]