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.

airBaltic unveils online COVID documentation checks

Latvian carrier airBaltic has launched an automatic COVID-19 travel document check for passengers on direct flights to Riga

Austrian trials Materna IPS bag tag solution

Austrian Airlines is trialling a Materna IPS solution that enables passengers to drop off their baggage on trains from Linz and Salzburg to Vienna Airport

How airports can manage the ‘tidal wave’ of COVID-19 documentation

Tech firm boss says collaboration is key with border control, immigration, ground handlers and airlines to minimise delays

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DSEI 2021: L3Harris names team for NATO Sentry replacement bid

L3Harris has revealed the five industry team members that will support its bid in the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme, which aims to source a replacement for NATO’s ageing fleet of Boeing E-3A Sentry AWAC systems by 2035

Protecting airports from lightning strikes

For airports and the airlines that serve them, few weather phenomena are as disruptive as electrical storms. Tom Batchelor looks at the risks and the remedies

US Navy acquires MX-20 EO/IR sensors for Poseidon

L3Harris Technologies announced on August 17 that the US Navy has selected the company’s electro-optical/infra-red (EO/IR) airborne systems for its P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, with deliveries set to be completed by the end of 2022

The composite picture of Gatwick shows (left) the arrangement of the proposed runways, taxi tracks and building areas superimposed on an Ordnance Survey map, with (right) an aerial view of the present site, taken by the Air Survey Company and reduced to the same scale. In the map solid black is used to show the paving work to be completed by 1956 and cross-hatching to show the duplicate runway system, work on which is to be started in 1958. Th N.E.-S.W. runway may be laid down at the same time if traffic de Feature Premium

Unearthed: the original plan for Gatwick from 1952

A fascinating piece on what was the original plan for Gatwick from the October 17, 1952 issue of The Aeroplane

CAE gets approval for landmark military training acquisition

Canadian military training provider CAE has received the required regulatory approvals for the acquisition of L3Harris Technologies' Military Training business for US$1.05bn

The 200,000mph threat to every airport in the world

Travelling at speeds more than 300 times faster than a Boeing 747 in cruise, this uncontrollable phenomenon presents a serious hazard to airline operations on the ground. Key.Aero speaks to Chris Vagasky from Vaisala to find out more…

FAA to give $8bn funding in airport rescue grants

The financial support is set to be used to help sustain employment within the industry as well as providing relief to retail and concession firms

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.

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