International Airport News

London's Heathrow Airport must expand and the Thames Estuary airport development plan should be scrapped, this is according to a group of MPs. They are calling for more runways to be built at Heathrow. Ryanair's Michael O'Leary who, thinks each of the airports should have additional runways. In November 2012, he suggested London needs a total of three new runways: one each at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. At the same time, he savaged the Thames Estuary airport proposal, describing it as a "stupid, hare-brained idea."

Seems that Heathrow is doing pretty good in Customer Satisfaction if the reports from the ACI's survey on Airport quality of service is to be believed. The airport managed to recieve its highest ever ratings to-date for passenger satisfaction in ACI's survey of Airport Service Quality for the first three months of 2013. Their score totaled 3.99 which surpassed their previous record in the first three months of 2012 with 3.92. Customer Satisfaction is a very big part of any business and for airports it is no different.

Contracts won to build new Mongolia airport

Mitsubishi Corporation and engineering group Chiyoda Corporation have been awarded the construction contract for a second international airport in Mongolia. The new Mongolian airport will be situated some 30 miles away from the capital, Ulan Bator at an altitude of 4,481-feet above sea level.

King Khalid Terminal 5 Build Contract Awarded

The King Khalid International Airport Terminal 5 design and build contract has been awarded to TAV Construction, it's been announced. The third such Saudi Arabian airport tender won by TAV Construction. King Khalid International presently boasts four terminals, a pair of 13,796 foot-long runways, a mosque and one of the tallest control towers at any airport. TAV Construction was announced as the contract winner on 13 May 2013 by GACA - the Saudi Arabian Civil Aviation Authority. The Terminal 5 build contract will see King Khalid International Airport gain a new 100,000 square meter passenger terminal, a linked 90,000 square metrr car park able to accommodate 3,000 vehicles and various other infrastructure elements linking up Terminal 5 to the rest of the airport.

I found this very interesting!

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-buzz/tussling-eagles-tumble-tarmac-minnesota-airport-163844402.html

Eindhoven Airport embraces Facebook for VIP programme

Anyone who 'likes' the Eindhoven Airport's Facebook page and is due to fly from it can sign up to its 'VIP' scheme, which offers a number of perks in the process. Two persons will be selected every month from the set of 'entrants'. Some of the perks include one free airport meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner - flight-time dependant), fast-tracked, wait-free security screening, personal accompaniment and free parking in a prime location near the terminal entrance point.

Delta is preparing to open Terminal 4 at New York's JFK Airport on May 24

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Indian Diamond heist

An unidentified person has taken a sachet encompassing Rs 4.5 (approximately $941,000) crore worth of diamonds from a courier shipment. This reportedly happened at the Mumbai Airport recently according to a case registered by the Sahar police.

Passenger traffic at Surat airport has increased by a quarter.

For airline companies aiming to begin operations from Surat, the latest news could be music to their ears. The airport's outbound passenger traffic, provided by two airlines, SpiceJet and Indian, has swelled to 20,000 each month on the Delhi and Mumbai routes.

Tomorrow is the day that Delta will officially open their new Terminal 4 with all its new features, May 24th!

London's Heathrow Airport had to close both runways after a British Airways jet that had not too long taken off was required to make an emergency landing. The aircraft described as an Airbus A319 was carrying 75 passengers at the time bound for Oslo, Norway. The problem was reported to be due to what British Airways deemed a "technical fault."

Airport upgrades passenger check-in and baggage processing

Work has started in earnest to beautiful and upgrade as well as expand the main check-in hall area of the terminal building at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. These improvements is exoected to allow for additional space for passenger check-in and circulation. There will be improved baggage handling and screening systems as well as a modernized facade, consistent with the rest of the terminal building.

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US Fingerprint Scanner Deployment Approved

US officials have approved a new US airport security measure that would see all non-US residents being fingerprinted before they could fly home. The interesting move got a 13-5 vote and will be rolled out to 10 of the U.S' top airports.

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A snek peak at the brand new Sky Deck at the brand newly opened Delta Terminal 4 at JFK airport in New York.

Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA) in Florida, US, has appointed Atkins as designers on the expansion programme of its Tampa International Airport. The work includes the expansion of the main terminal transfer level and improvements to its concessions.

The work is all part of the 3,300-acre airport’s updated, 20-year masterplan. Atkins’ efforts—due for completion in 2014—are expected to help provide a number of benefits, including:

Adding new concessions and improving concessions distribution, which will provide added shopping convenience for travelers and improve the airport’s revenue stream.

Relocating the APM stations in the main terminal transfer level, which will help expand the area in which travelers can interact with one another.

Improving the overall aesthetics and functional layout of the landside terminal transfer area, which will provide a more satisfying airport experience for travelers and airport visitors.

Tampa International Airport CEO, Joe Lopano, said: “The beauty of this masterplan is that it takes a measured approach to capital investment so we can expand incrementally as passenger demand dictates. It also takes advantage of the airport’s ground‐breaking original design, which offers plug‐and‐play expansion by building a new airside attached to the main terminal.”

Passengers Stranded After Plane departs without them

Approximately 140 passengers, inclusive of children, had to sleep on the airport floor, as British Airways were unable to provide hotel rooms for them. Additionally, it is reported that they were not offered drink or food. It seems that the 'problem' crept up when the cabin crew had exceeded their maximum working hours, after the plane was initially delayed by a technical fault. According to BA, cabin crews are a legal requirement of passenger aircraft, so in this instance only the flight crew was allowed to board, who were still within their hours. As for the cabin crew, they had to stay behind with the rest of the passengers at Marco Polo airport in Venice, Italy.

Davao International Airport, Phillipines Shut After Plane Overshoots Runway

Aviation authorities have closed one of the Philippines busiest airports today, after a passenger plane from Manila overpassed the runway. Some 165 people were onboard the aircraft, which maneuvered to the right of the runway moments after landing during a rainstorm shortly after 7:00PM Sunday night. The plane skidded into the grassy verge of Runway 23, obstructing the aircraft movement area. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Davao International Airport, situated in the south of the Asian country, would not be opened until 8:00PM Monday evening, while authorities confiscated the Cebu Pacific Airbus A320 jet.

Glasgow Airport first five star UK airport

Glasgow Airport has become the first airport in the UK to achieve five stars in a rigorous audit by the British Safety Council. Alex Botha, chief executive of the British Safety Council, said: “We warmly congratulate the staff and management at Glasgow Airport for their success in gaining five stars in their first audit undertaken through the British Safety Council. Managing one of the UK’s major airports, and all the risks that entails, is immensely challenging.

“Everyone concerned should derive tremendous satisfaction from their achievement. The auditors identified many strengths in Glasgow Airport’s management of risk in its operation, including the role played by senior management in providing leadership and direction, and the role of the wider workforce in ensuring the airport is kept safe and secure.”

Gillies Crichton, Glasgow Airport’s head of assurance, said: “The safety of our passengers and staff is our number one priority at all times and to be the first UK airport to achieve five stars in this audit is a fantastic achievement, particularly at the first attempt. It reflects the hard work which has taken place across the campus to reach this level.”

100 students booted from AirTran flight in NY

A large group of high school students were booted from a flight after many failed to turn off their mobile phones prior to take-off. The school lot, featuring eight chaperones and 100 students, were removed from an AirTran service from New York City to Atlanta, Georgia, on Monday at approximately 0600.

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A big change has come AGAIN to the situation with TSA and allowing blades of a certain length back on airliners. Remember they were going to allow this to happen by mid year now apparently they have tracked back on that decision.

The United States' leading transport security official confirmed that outbound passengers in United States airports will not be allowed to take small knives on board with them. The reversal in decision comes after strong criticism from air cabin crew and the general public alike related to the proposed relaxation of US airport security measures that would have allowed some previously 'dangerous' objects to be taken on departing aircraft.