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.

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How do airport IATA codes work: North America

When it comes to the identifiers given to hubs and gateways around the world, some might leave you scratching your head. Tom Batchelor is on hand to further unravel the mystery of curious codes

AENA rethinks duty-free offering

Spanish airport operator AENA is updating the management of the duty-free shops in its airports

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The fascinating ways airports are getting greener

Sustainability is back on the agenda and many airport operators have been analysing their environmental impact. Here are some of the eco stories from across Europe that you might have missed over recent weeks...

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Why Victorville is more than just an aircraft boneyard

Chris Sloan travels to California to learn why this quirky desert facility is far more than an aviation retirement home

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How do airport IATA codes work?

We all know what’s in a name, but codes attached to hubs and gateways worldwide can have more peculiar origins. Tom Batchelor demonstrates the method in IATA’s madness in the first of a fascinating new series

QC reveals Mortenson as renovation lead

Quad Cities International Airport’s board of commissioners has approved Mortenson as the construction manager at risk (CMAR) for a major terminal renovation project

Palermo trials emissions management solution

SITA and Palermo Falcone Borsellino International Airport have partnered on a four-month trial of a solution that aims to cut airport emissions.

JFK to build new $9.5bn terminal

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is to build a new $9.5bn international terminal at John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

Finavia signs taxi service contract

Finavia has signed a new deal with two taxi companies to provide services at Oulu and Rovaniemi Airports from January 1 2022.

Simultaneous runway ops return

In a bid to “ensure stable flight operations”, simultaneous runway use resumed at Berlin/Brandenburg on the first day of December 2021.

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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