International Airport News

The Mariscal Sucre Airport to relocate

The Mariscal Sucre Airport in Quito, Ecuador is to relocate to another location some 20km away. It really has to do with the constant noise created by arriving and departing aircraft to to the neighbours of the airport. They hear this constant noise as early as 5am until 2am the next morning with hardly a break. This is all expected to change on February 19th when the relocation takes place.

Atlanta keeps prestigious status as world's busiest

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport continues to be the world's busiest airport after posting record figures again in 2012. 92.4 million passengers was the 2011 total but 2012 passed that by some 3.35% to round out at 95.5 million passengers thus solidifying its number 1 position.

If Airport Bosses at Heathrow get their way and eventually run their 5-year £3 billion investment plan then passengers passing through that airport will likely get slapped with rising ticket costs. As it stands, 2012/13 is at £19.33 per passenger. For 2013/14 it will be £20.78 per person, 2014/15 to £21.96 and growing further to 2018/19. Heathrow proposes the jump in charges to help pay for a planned £3 billion investment. Some of which includes staff customer service training, baggage facilities and next year's opening of the new Terminal 2.

Alarming Flop in Indian Security Tests!

Nearly 75% of Indian Airport Security Personnel -to be- failed their Basic Aviation Security Course (BASC). The major test is usually held by India's Bureau of Civil Aviation Security at different sites between 8-21 January 2013. The course sets the tone and usually is the final step before security officials can be put to work at any of India's airports. Just over 350 persons took the test and only few over 100 passed the test.

Man sets self ablaze at Rome airport

A 19 year old man -originally from the Ivory Coast- reportedly set himself ablaze recently at an Italian airport. The man drenched himself in fuel before setting himself on fire at the Italian capital’s Fiumicino airport, after showing a deportation order to officials, police said. One policeman rushed to drench the flames with a fire extinguisher and while doing it suffered minor burns on his right arm. The self-arsonist African man suffered serious injuries and was quickly taken to hospital.

Sydney International Airport sees more growth as they retain the status for largest airport gateway in Australia both internationally and domestically. Last year, the Sydney International Airport enjoyed a record year with some 36.92 million passengers passing through, which translates to a 3.6% growth over the previous year.

Heathrow employing self-boarding technologies

Aimed at simplifying the boarding process Heathrow International Airport has employed self-boarding technologies. The British Airport is currently trialing the technology in cooperation with South African Airways. The Heathrow self-boarding system in trial is being put on in Terminal 1. So far, the trial has involved at least 300 passengers flying with South African Airways.

How the technology works?

Passengers utilizing the the self-boarding tech transit through an electronic barrier. While passing through it scans the facial area. The scanned image is then compared to biometric data captured at earlier check-in facilities. Once there is a comparative match then the passenger is allowed to pass and board.

Etihad purchases slots from Jet Airways at Heathrow

Etihad Airways is looking to purchase slots from struggling Indian carrier Jet Airways. As you may remember, yesterday we spoke of another struggling Indian carrier Kingfisher. Etihad Airways seems to have agreed to have purchased three pairs of slots for approximately $70-million. Not a good look again for some Indian Aviation carriers. Slot trading isn't that uncommon at Heathrow International because of how busy the airport is.

Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR) and Highstar Capital-owned Aerostar Airport Holdings have just successfully finished a $2.6 billion concession of San Juan's (Puerto Rico) Luis Munoz Marin International airport. This now makes it the first major airport operated by a private consortium in the United States. Puerto Rico's governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla signed off on the 40-year deal on 26 February, a day after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the concessionaire's application under the airport privatisation pilot programme.

Snowfall slows Pearson International (Toronto)

Heavy Snowfall that dumped on much of the United States Mid West advanced Eastward and dumped heavy snow on Pearson International in Toronto that at the time cancelled dozens of flights. More than 100 departures from the Canadian airport were cancelled and nearly 100 arrivals.

Secret luggage searches?

If you are surprised that your luggage may be being subjected to 'secret' searches at some airports then you shouldn't be that shocked but this has been happening at the Birmingham Airport. A report found that in the passing of a year, some 1,000 items were confiscated at the airport above. Now this is apparently a practice that is 'prohibited' yet it persists. At the moment, recommendations published in the Border Force Enforcement Handbook ban secret baggage searches, unless official approval has been supplied otherwise, in writing and ahead of time.

Budget cuts in the U.S affecting U.S airports already?

Some are thinking that the official start of budget cuts a few days ago in the United States has already begun to affect U.S Airports. How? Well they say it is being seen in the alomost doubling of passenger lines at the airports. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told reporters that airports had witnessed lines inflate to 150-200 percent their normal size. A few of those airports feeling the squeeze already include Chicago's O'Hare and Los Angeles International.

Another potential casualty of the recent budget cuts, the FAA plans to close the Front Range Airport Control tower which cost some 5.7-million dollars to build. In fact, the FAA is said to have funded most of the build cost, some 4.4-million and now they are contemplating closing it. Closing it, will in estimate, save the FAA some $600,000 dollars per year.

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United states to lift ban on pocket knives and other items at their airports?

In an interesting move that is sure to shock many, the United States is going to squash the ban of carrying pocket knives on aircraft. This would be the first time since September 2001 that it will be allowed. The lifting of the ban is expected to come into effect in April. Fixed bladed knives, box-cutters and razors are still going to be prohibited. Other previously banned items that make the pass list include plastic Wiffle Ball-style bats, hockey sticks and golf clubs! Of course this only applies to U.S carriers.

Chennai's through passenger traffic lost a wing and seems to be crashing. Their figures dove by some 360,000 between April and December 2012. This is particularly disturbing because, their domestic market grew by between 10 and 17-percent for the period 2008-2011. Reductions in corporate flights, the on-going global recession, airline fare hikes and hidden fees are all to blame for the slackened use in 2012. However, one of the universally agreed reasons for the decline in was last year’s Kingfisher Airline's problems.

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The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will commence the closure of 149 contract air traffic control towers (ATC) at small airports from around April 7th, 2013 as a result of sequester-related budget cuts. Quite a few commercial airlines as well as cargo will feel the pinch when this happens.

Gatwick International in the UK now has an Airbus A380 stand. So this type of aircraft can now be handled at this busy UK airport. It was opened on March 26 and featured an A380 from Emirates Airlines.

Jordan's Queen Alia International Airport opens to the public and air traffic. Striking design for this airport don't you agree?

Off of the bee-hive looking airport above in Jordan and over to Cardiff where the airport there has been reportedly purchased by the government. The airport has suffered serious losses in the recent years and well the Welsh government has bought it for some £52m.

Dubai's new international airport after very long delay is now being said to open to scheduled passenger service in October 2013. At least this is the word from Dubai aviation officials. It is expected to replace the current Dubai international and eventually handle up to 160-million passengers annually. This would award it the title of the largest airport in the world when finished.