Airport Technology News

Dealing with increased volumes of passengers, ever more advanced security threats and environmental challenges is driving innovation in the aviation technology sector. The demands of modern travel habits and budget airlines mean that airports in particular are having to adopt and trial new technologies to keep pace with the fast-changing industry.

Passengers around the world are familiar with airport technologies including x-ray machines and boarding-card scanners. However, in recent years, airports have adopted full body scanners, facial recognition and automated custom controls; all designed to improve passenger flow through the airport and improve on security. Whilst these technologies are yet to become ubiquitous within the industry, there has been a broad acceptance by airports and passengers alike as bottlenecks and pain points are addressed, costs are reduced, and passenger experiences are improved.

This page covers the technologies being trialled by major international airports around the world, from new security checks and protocols to environmental initiatives and logistics. For more of the latest airport news from around the globe, take a look at our Airport News page.

REVEALED: Is Flybe returning to your local airport?

Ahead of its maiden flight in April, Key Aero reveals the airports and launch dates for Flybe’s new network

News Premium

London Gatwick’s growing optimism

The green shoots of recovery are starting to appear at London/Gatwick as the West Sussex airport recorded a reduction in its annual losses while it sets its sights on a strong summer ahead.

Leeds Bradford scraps new terminal plans

Leeds Bradford Airport is withdrawing plans to replace its terminal building – blaming “excessive delays” in UK government decision-making.

News Premium

Learn how Gatwick innovates aircraft turnarounds

A new handheld digital platform called AirTurn is being used by ground handlers at London/Gatwick as part of an “innovative” solution to transform aircraft turnarounds.

SITA streamlines Luton Airport operations

London Luton Airport (LLA) is seeing the benefits of streamlining its day-to-day operations

UIA 737-900 News Premium

Ukraine Crisis: Airports Overview

With the ongoing events, Key.Aero provides an overview of some of the most important commercial airports – along with any joint military assets stationed there – from across the country, which has a population of roughly 44 million residents.

How you can fly to John O' Groats from April

The most northerly airport on the UK mainland will soon be reconnected to the scheduled airline network - Key Aero has the story

Feature Premium

Airline pilots give verdict on favourite airports

It isn’t just passengers who have best-loved airports – pilots often do, too. From hubs to hilltops, in their own words we hear why certain airfields stand out from the crowd.

Feature Premium

Iceland’s lesser-known Akureyri and Egilsstaðir Airports

This Nordic island nation is pulling out all the stops to attract and sustain new international operators at its lesser-known airports. Gordon Smith gives us the low-down.

Storm Eunice: The wildest diversions and go-arounds so far

As Storm Eunice brings record-breaking wind and torrential rain to southern parts of the UK, we round-up some of the most epic go-arounds and diversions from British airports

All the Latest Airport Technology Trends in One Place

Key airport technology trends often align with the pressures felt by airports to remain profitable whilst meeting the high standards expected and required by the industry in areas including security, safety and environmental credentials. Often airlines can drive change as they begin to introduce technologies to their dedicated terminals, gates and airport lounges. The major international airlines act as a global network enabling the spread of these technologies as they introduce them from one airport to another.

Passengers too can be a big driver of change as they come to expect certain technologies to be available including online check in and frictionless procedures and facilities from security checks to the departure gate. The articles in this section reflect upon and document this technological progress as more airports and airlines begin to adopt and trial the latest cutting-edge technologies.

The introduction of these technologies can often raise issues between improving efficiency and reducing costs and improving security and passenger safety. This dichotomy in itself is driving innovation and increasing technology adoption rates across the industry as airports strive to find solutions to new problems whilst keeping their costs down.

Aviation Industry News

If you’re looking for more articles on the commercial aviation industry and news from airports and airlines across the globe, why not take a look at some of our other commercial aviation pages? We write about Airport News from domestic and international airports around the world, Commercial Aviation News and Aviation Engineering News.

Subscribe to Key.Aero for Exclusive Commercial Aviation Content 

Become a part of our aviation community and subscribe to Key.Aero today. Get access to the world's biggest collection of aviation content including new articles, videos, podcasts, quizzes and more every month.