Corporación América Airports released its passenger traffic numbers for March 2024

Corporación América Airports S.A., one of the leading private airport operators in the world, reported today a 0.8% year-on-year (YoY) increase in passenger traffic in March 2024, reaching 92.4% of the levels seen in March 2019. Excluding Natal for comparison purposes, total traffic in March increased by 4.0% YoY, reaching 95.1% of March 2019 levels.

Passenger Traffic Overview

Total passenger traffic grew 0.8% compared to the same month of 2023, or 4.0% when adjusting for the discontinuation of the Natal airport. Compared to March 2019 levels, total traffic stood at 92.4%, or 95.1% ex-Natal. International passenger traffic increased 12.9% year-over-year (YoY) and surpassed pre-pandemic levels by 4.7%, while domestic traffic decreased 6.7% YoY to 86.2% of March 2019 levels.

In Argentina, total passenger traffic continued to recover in March, increasing by 3.8% YoY and reaching 96.6% of pre-pandemic volumes, down from the 98.6% recorded last month. Domestic traffic was 1.1% down YoY and in line with March 2019 levels, while International traffic was 15.0% up YoY, reaching 90.6% of pre-pandemic levels.

In Italy, passenger traffic grew by 18.0% compared to the same month in 2023, exceeding pre-pandemic levels of March 2019 by 8.3%. International passenger traffic, which accounted for over 75% of the total traffic, increased 20.1% YoY and was 15.6% higher than March 2019 levels, while domestic passenger traffic increased 11.2% YoY and was 11.2% below pre-pandemic levels. Florence airport exceeded March 2019 traffic volumes by 17.6% while traffic at Pisa airport, where some pre-pandemic destinations still need to resume, was above pre-pandemic levels for the first time.

In Brazil, total passenger traffic decreased by 13.5% YoY, or increased by 0.3% YoY when adjusting for the discontinuation of the Natal airport. Domestic traffic, which accounted for almost 60% of the total traffic, reached 71.4% of pre-pandemic levels, or 88.1% when adjusting for Natal, while transit passengers improved to 87.0% of March 2019 levels. Traffic in Brazil remained heavily impacted by financial and aircraft constraints in some of the local airlines. As a reminder, following the friendly termination process concluded in February 2024, CAAP no longer operates Natal airport, effective February 19, 2024. Therefore, statistics for Natal are available up to February 18, 2024.

VINCI Airports buying major stake in Edinburgh Airport for £1.27 billion......

Global Infrastructure Partners confirmed this week that it was selling just over half of Edinburgh Airport to VINCI Airports for  £1.27 billion.

As part of the agreement, GIP and VINCI will jointly lead investment in, and development of, Edinburgh Airport and establish a long-term strategic partnership for the airport's future development, similar to the successful partnership established in 2019 at Gatwick Airport.

Edinburgh Airport's Chairman Sir John Elvidge and Chief Executive Officer Gordon Dewar will, along with other key leaders, remain in their roles. "We are excited to partner with VINCI, with whom we have a strong and productive strategic relationship, to continue to support Edinburgh Airport's future growth," said Bayo Ogunlesi, Global Infrastructure Partners' Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We remain committed to providing high-quality service to passengers. We are very pleased VINCI shares our vision of Edinburgh Airport's future."

"This partnership underlines our commitment to Scotland and its capital city airport. We are excited to extend our partnership with VINCI to deliver on our shared aspirations for the future of Edinburgh Airport, including our promise to support the airport's 2030 sustainability commitments," said Michael McGhee, Global Infrastructure Partners' Deputy Chairman and Founding Partner. "We are pleased the senior leadership team will remain in place under the chairmanship of Sir John Elvidge. Their focus remains on the long-term growth, modernisation and sustainability of the airport and on continuing to improve passenger service."

"We are delighted to announce the expansion of our successful and strategic partnership with GIP to include Edinburgh Airport," said Nicolas Notebaert, Chief Executive Officer of VINCI Concessions and President of VINCI Airports. "Together with GIP, VINCI Airports will continue the strategy of growing connectivity and developing commercial activities, whilst also leveraging VINCI Airport's international expertise to accelerate decarbonization and continually improving customer experience. This acquisition of a third freehold airport in the UK, in addition to London Gatwick and Belfast International, demonstrates VINCI Airports' long term strategic ambition and continued commitment to the country."

New Aerozone and Academy launched at EMA

East Midlands Airport’s Aerozone and Academy are to officially open in new premises this week, heralding a new era of insight into the aviation industry for local students, adult learners and jobs seekers.

The Aerozone, the airport’s on-site education centre, provides an interactive and inspirational learning environment for children and young people aged 4 to 18 and is free of charge for school and college visits. The Academy offers free adult training including an ‘Introduction to the Aviation Industry’ course, and tailor-made pre-employment and upskilling training for around 200 unemployed or low-income adult learners a year and existing employees.

Previously the Aerozone and Academy were based in a building close to the airport’s main administrative offices but have now been relocated to new premises nearby which will officially open their doors on Friday 19 April.

The occasion will be marked with a special Aerozone visit by a group of 11-13-year-olds from Farnborough Academy in Clifton, along with a cohort of adult learners coming to the end of a two-week Exploring the Aviation Industry course. The aim of the school visit is for the students to learn about the variety of roles at the airport and to experience, through hands-on activities, what it’s like to work at an airport. The Academy course, now provided in partnership with Nottingham College, gives attendees a direct route for career or study progression within the aviation industry.

The students will be greeted by EMA’s Managing Director Steve Griffiths, along with Lilian Greenwood, MP for Clifton’s constituency, Nottingham South.

Steve Griffiths said: “We’re really pleased to open new premises for our Aerozone and Academy. It underlines our ongoing commitment to inspire generations of young people through a range of tailored interactive experiences and activities, along with free training courses to equip people with the skills needed to take up various careers available at EMA.”

 

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Annual passenger numbers across MAG airports increase by 13%

More than 61m passengers travelled through MAG airports in the 12 months to the end of March - up 13.4% year-on-year.

MAG – which owns and operates Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports – served 4.6m passengers in March, equal to 103% of 2019 levels, and up 12.4% on the same month last year.

London Stansted recorded its busiest 12 months ever, with 28.5m passengers travelling through the airport in the year to the end of March 2024 – up 11.8% on last year. Across what was also its busiest March on record, London Stansted served 2.2m passengers – up 10.8% on last year and equal to 104% of 2019 levels.

61.3m passengers travelled through a MAG airport in the 12 months to March

UK’s largest airports group welcomed 4.6m passenger in March

London Stansted had its busiest 12 months on record – with 28.5m passengers travelling through the airport

Manchester Airport also had a record month, serving 2.2m passengers in March – the sixth consecutive month it recorded its best-ever performance. The figure was 104% of 2019 levels, up 12.3% year-on-year.

East Midlands Airport had the highest year-on-year increases in the Group this month – reaching an annual total of 4.1m passengers for the first time since 2019 – up 22.4% on last year. Across March, the airport welcomed 240,000 passengers, up 30.7% on the same months last year, and equal to 94% of 2019 levels.

Operational performance across the Group remains consistently strong, and in March 100% of passengers at all three airports passed through security in 15 minutes or less.

Passenger numbers rise at East Midlands Airport

East Midlands Airport saw annual passenger numbers soar above the 4m mark for the first time since the pandemic – with nearly 750,000 more people choosing it than a year ago.

Figures released last week show 240,000 passengers travelled through East Midlands in March, which was up 22.4% on the same month last year.

That drove the airport’s rolling annual total to 4.077m – the first time since 2020 it crossed the 4m threshold.

The new figures are released as EMA’s summer season starts to get underway, which is shaping up to be among its best yet. The aircraft stands are set to be full this summer after Tui and Jet2 each added new aircraft based at EMA, along with some new routes on offer. These include Jet2 now flying to Naples in Italy and Eastern Airways partnering with Air France so that EMA customers can connect to flights all around the globe via Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport – a great new destination for the summer when Paris hosts the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Not only that, but some fantastic improvements have already taken shape at the start of a five-year, £120m investment programme. These include a new-look Castle Rock Tap Room & Kitchen along with modernised toilet facilities, improved customer wi-fi throughout the terminal, better seating, a large new JD Sports unit and even a fleet of new trolleys. And upgrades to the runway and taxiways will help to literally make people’s journeys smoother.

Oakland International Airport OAK to change its name to become 'San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.

'Allow more travellers to experience the sunnier side of the SF Bay Area' 

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors have endorsed changing the Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK) name to the 'San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport.'

On April 11, 2024, the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners also voted unanimously to modify the airport's name.  Danny Wan, the Port of Oakland’s Executive Director, said, “Every day, hundreds of travellers drive from the East Bay to SFO, passing OAK because they can’t get the flight they need. For the economic health of the region, this must change.” He added, “Our renaming will make travel easier for thousands of people and help grow the local economy.”

Modifying the airport’s name is said to be part of a broader effort to improve the passenger experience at OAK, which includes upgrading the Terminal 1 check-in lobby and restroom facilities and providing new local concessions and restaurants.

Once the Port Commission has given final approval on May 9, 2024 for the name modification, staff will move forward with the formal renaming, including working with air carriers, other airports, and local agencies to reflect the modification in airport and airline systems. The airport code OAK and visual brand will remain the same.

According to the airport, a number of local groups and organizations have supported the name change, including:

Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce

Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce

Oakland African-American Chamber of Commerce

Oakland Latino Chamber of Commerce

Hegenberger Corridor Owners & Operators

Visit Oakland

Visit Tri-Valley

Innovation Tri-Valley Leadership Group

Visit Berkeley

Visit Walnut Creek

East Bay Economic Development Alliance

Ridgemont Hospitality

There is no guarantee a name change will encourage more airlines to start new routes to or from Oakland, nor will it change the geographical location of the airport, so it remains to be seen on how much impact the name change will have on the wider aviation industry. Local media are estimating the cost of adding San Francisco Bay to existing signs or replacements and changing the name on stationery will be approximately $2.4 million.  

Port Commission President Barbara Leslie said, "We are standing up for Oakland and the East Bay; this will boost inbound travellers’ geographic awareness of the airport by highlighting the airport’s location on the San Francisco Bay.” She also said, “This name will make it clear that OAK is the closest major airport, for 4.1 million people, three national laboratories, the top public university in the country, and California’s Wine Country."

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Ethiopian inaugurates the new Jinka Airport Terminal

Ethiopian Airlines Group

the largest airline group in Africa, inaugurates its Jinka airport project, unveiling a new terminal and support facility buildings. The new state-of-the-art airport terminal is now open for service, following a grand celebration held today in Jinka, one of the emerging cities in the South Ethiopia Regional State.

The two-and-a-half-year project covered the construction of a new terminal building having a total built-up area of 3,500 square meters, support facility building, and external facilities including exclusive VIP parking area and other facilities.    

Regarding the inauguration of the new Jinka Airport, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mr. Mesfin Tasew said, “We are truly delighted to witness the completion of the brand new Jinka Airport Terminal Building project that has been under construction for the last few years. As a national flag carrier, Ethiopian is playing its part in the country’s aviation transformation and Jinka is our latest contribution to Ethiopia’s modern aviation facility. The new Jinka airport will further offer a comfortable travel experience to/from the city thereby boosting trade and tourism in the region and beyond. Committed to enhancing customer experience, we will continue to invest in renovation and upgrading of domestic airports.” 

Following the finalization of the project with an investment cost of more than 8 million Euro for construction, Jinka Airport Terminal is now equipped with modern passenger service areas including departure and VIP lounges and other facilities that will enhance customer experience. 

The completion of the airport will help Ethiopian offer an upgraded customer services to its passengers to/from the city. It also creates a comfortable experience to tourists traveling to southern Ethiopia to visit the exotic people, culture, and nature of the region.

At its hub, Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, Ethiopian Airlines offers seamless transit and stopover services, creating an opportunity for passengers who have lay over to enjoy the beauty of Addis Ababa, the diplomatic capital of African.

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East Midlands Airport welcomes new cargo carrier.

A new cargo airline has started operating from East Midlands Airport (EMA), the UK’s largest pure air freight hub.

British operator One Air runs flights between Europe and China/Hong Kong and has a permit to operate cargo charter flights between the US and UK. It launched last year and is growing its operations, looking to expand its flights to Hong Kong into a daily operation and achieve a licence for long-term operations to China.

One Air’s Boeing 747-400 aircraft has already been spotted in the skies above EMA since its first flight into East Midlands arrived from Hong Kong over Easter with a 105-tonne payload.  

The central UK airport will now be a regular origin and destination point for One Air’s services connecting Asia and Europe as well as for ad hoc global charter services. The new addition to EMA’s cargo operation bolsters what is already the UK’s most important express air freight hub.

EMA offers one-stop connections to 185 of the world’s largest cities, including New York, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris, and Mumbai, with DHL, UPS and Fedex all having their major UK hubs on site. 

The airport handles the equivalent of more than one million packages every night, and its cargo operation provides support to regional businesses, including those in the advanced manufacturing, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and automotive sectors.

Mario surprises travellers in JetBlue terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy Airport

Nintendo of America and JetBlue are bringing smiles to travellers of all ages with the engaging “Nintendo Switch On the Go” pop-up, located at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport in JetBlue Terminal 5, now through April 20.

On April 7, families and fans were given the chance to play some of the latest Nintendo Switch games, hang out in the pop-up, recharge their devices and may even get a photo with Mario himself!

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More buses heading to East Midlands Airport in time for peak summer season

Even more buses are now available as an alternative way to reach East Midlands Airport following timetable improvements by trentbarton and sister company Kinchbus.

skylink clifton 0579

An increasing number of customers travelling on Skylink Derby has prompted bus operator trentbarton to add extra trips throughout the day, with buses running up to every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday. There is also a significant increase in early morning journeys and later evening buses. Many of the changes are designed to improve the punctuality of services and respond to customer demand, and the timing of the new timetable coincides with the start of the airport’s summer season.

Skylink Derby connects Derby, Leicester and Loughborough with East Midlands Airport and the employment sites around it. As well as being a great option for local holidaymakers to travel to the airport, it is popular with shift workers at the many businesses based near EMA and its transport and logistics infrastructure.

Several changes to timetables were introduced over the Easter weekend to improve punctuality, including evening timetable changes on skylink Express between Nottingham and East Midlands Airport. The my15 service also has some small timetable changes, including reducing the number of journeys that go via Castle Donington Bus Station during peak times and minor changes between DHL and the airport Monday to Saturday.

TUI Airways to operate extra aircraft out of Exeter Airport from summer 2025

TUI, the leading global travel and leisure company, has today announced an additional aircraft will operate out of Exeter Airport in summer 2025 providing an additional 80,000 seats for the southwest region. 

This additional aircraft supports TUI’s commitment to offering more choice and flexibility to customers across the UK, with an unrivalled approach to flying from local airports.

Andrew Flintham, TUI UK&I Manager Director, said: “We are seeing an uptick in demand from customers in Devon and Cornwall, which is why we have deployed another of our aircraft to Exeter Airport for Summer 2025.

“This now means that two aircraft will be operating from the airport giving customers more overseas destinations to fly to, but also increases the flexibility in holiday duration and flight times. Our customers want to go on the holiday best for them, and we want them to be able to enjoy the ease of flying from their local airport.” 

The Summer 2025 programme from Exeter will include: 

25 flights per week  

A new route to Ibiza – plus four weekly flights to Palma de Mallorca

Tenerife and Lanzarote flights now being offered twice weekly in Summer, resulting in year-round flying to the Canary Islands

Four Greek islands offered, including twice weekly Corfu, Heraklion, Rhodes and Zakynthos 

Four weekly flights to Turkey 

Four weekly flights to support Marella Cruise program to Corfu, Paphos and Palma de Mallorca

10- or 11- night holidays available to 11 destinations  

Steve Wiltshire, Managing Director of Exeter Airport, said: “It’s great news that TUI are investing further in the development of their already extensive route network from Exeter Airport to a growing range of popular sunshine destinations.

“Basing an additional aircraft here is enabling TUI to add a new route to Ibiza, increase the frequency of flights to many other locations and offer increased flexibility on 10- and 11-night stays – all of which adds huge value for passengers.

“It’s a significant boost for the airport and our regional economy, for our much-valued partnership with TUI and for people across the region who enjoy the convenience of flying from their local airport.”

The full 2025 summer programme will be on sale from today via tui.co.uk, TUI retail stores and independent travel agents.  

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Samarkand International Airport reports 55% increase in autumn-winter passengers as impressive growth record continues.

Samarkand International Airport (SKD) has reported continued growth during the autumn-winter period (AWP) season, with more than 491,000 passengers (+55%) using the airport between 29 October 2023 and 30 March 2024.  And in the first three months of 2024, 294,000 passengers have used the ultra-modern airport terminal, a 39% increase on the same period of 2023. 

Passenger numbers at SKD have previously more than doubled in each of the past two years, following the opening of the airport’s state-of-the-art terminal facility at the beginning of 2022. Passenger volumes topped one million for the first time at the end of 2023. 

Airport management company Air Marakanda reported a big increase in the number of carriers using SKD for the first time during the 2023/24 AWP season – namely Red Wings, SunExpress, Humo Air, Ural Airlines, Qazaq Air and Centrum Air. New routes now connect Samarkand with Izmir, Jeddah, Kazan, Tashkent, Turkestan and Yekaterinburg. 

SKD also welcomed the launch of Air Samarkand, the first carrier to base itself at the airport. After beginning with a charter flight programme, Air Samarkand commenced scheduled services to Istanbul on 21st March, and is soon expected to launch to other new destinations.

 

The airport has also seen low-cost carrier Pobeda increase flight frequency to Moscow from 4 to 9 times a week, while Uzbekistan Airways has increased its Moscow services from 4 to 5 times a week, and to St. Petersburg to 3 times weekly. Utair introduced twice weekly services to Saint Petersburg, Qanot Sharq Airlines doubled flight frequency to Jeddah to four rotations a week, and the regional carrier Silk Avia increased flights to Tashkent to a weekly service. 

New report shows 50 new direct long-haul routes could be unlocked at Manchester Airport by integrating investment in new transport infrastructure

Political and business leaders back report showing how Manchester Airport can drive Northern growth and a rebalancing of the economy

Regional political and business leaders have backed the report – saying “Manchester Airport  should be at the heart of our plan to transform the North’s connectivity if we are to drive productivity and growth”

Government measures needed include investment in new high speed rail network in the North, with Airport at its heart

 

Political and business leaders have urged the next government to place Manchester Airport at the heart of a modern, integrated transport network in the North and maximise its role in rebalancing the UK economy.

The calls were made after a new report revealed what the full economic potential of the Airport would be if the right conditions were in place to unlock “transformational growth” across the North.

Produced by Arup, it states that between now and 2050, the Northern gateway could secure direct flights to 50 new world-leading cities including Sydney, Tokyo, Montreal, Mumbai, Riyadh, San Francisco and Cape Town, driving passenger volumes to as high as 60m a year.

Those links would drive significant increases in exports, inward investment, tourism and cultural exchange for the North, growing Manchester Airport’s annual economic impact on the North to £16.3bn and leading to support for more than 80,000 more jobs.

The report spells out the opportunity for Ministers to create a “supportive policy environment” that enables both the Airport, and the Northern economy as a whole, to flourish.

The centrepiece of that would be the delivery of a high-speed rail network that transforms journey times between the likes of Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool and Bradford and the airport.

That would build on MAG’s own £1.3bn investment in the transformation of its facilities, which is helping unlock the potential of its existing two runways.

Alongside measures like investing in local transport schemes, funding and policy support for aviation sustainability and the right national tourism strategy, that would create a transformational growth scenario that by 2050 would also lead to:

Gross value added (GVA) impact from the airport in the North tripling from £5.7bn to £16.3bn

  Potential for more than 50 new long-haul routes

 Around 25 new short-haul routes

Employment for over 165,000 people compared to 80,000 people today. That is equivalent to the population of Harrogate

More than 260,000 businesses would be within 90 minutes of the airport – compared to 70,000 today

Potential for the airport to serve up to 60m passengers each year compared to 27m today

The creation of 6,500 jobs and £930m of economic value through the creation of a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) pipeline and production capability that serves Manchester Airport and the UK as a whole

MAG CEO Ken O'Toole said: "Manchester Airport is well-established as the UK’s global gateway in the North, connecting the region to an ever-increasing range of destinations such as Beijing, Singapore, Hong Kong, New York, Houston, Toronto and across the Middle East.

“We know this connectivity delivers billions of pounds of economic value to the North by driving trade, investment and tourism and, spurred by our own £1.3bn investment in new terminal facilities and infrastructure the Airport, we will continue to grow and support growth across the region in the years to come.

Mark Johnston named as new as permanent Chief Operating Officer at London Gatwick

Mark Johnston has been appointed permanent Chief Operating Officer at London Gatwick Airport.  As COO Mark will play a critical leadership role at London Gatwick, focussing on delivering the safe, efficient and smooth running of day-to-day airport operations.

Mark will drive the delivery of key strategic projects such as the roll out of next generation security and aerodrome performance. He will also oversee key departments including passenger operations, security and aerodrome.

Johnston was COO of AGS Airports, the owners of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, where he was in post for more than three years.  Before working at AGS, he joined Glasgow Airport in 2004 after various roles working in the global semiconductor industry. He then went on to hold various positions within Glasgow Airport, including the Operations Director, before being appointed Managing Director in May 2018. Mark was appointed Chief Operating Officer of AGS Airports in November 2020.

Mark Johnston said: “I am thrilled to be joining the UK’s second busiest airport where we operate the world’s most efficient runway.

London Gatwick has exceptional people who work hard every day to deliver a personalised experience, that is easy and efficient for all.

It is an incredibly exciting time to be joining London Gatwick and I am thoroughly looking forward to getting started and meeting all the team.”

Stewart Wingate, CEO, London Gatwick, said: “Mark will join London Gatwick with a wealth of experience and a proven track record as a COO. He is ideally placed to oversee the airports operations, strategic partnerships and ensuring a great Gatwick experience for passengers.

As we continue to grow, our vision is to be the airport for everyone, whatever your journey, and we are thrilled to have Mark join us at such an exciting time for the airport.

I’d like to thank John Higgins for stepping into the role of interim Chief Operating Officer for the last 15 months and leading the operation at an extremely busy time.”

Mark Johnston will take over from John Higgins, who stepped in as interim Chief Operating Officer in January 2023 in addition to his role of Business Improvement Director at the airport.

London Gatwick is investing in its long-term future and its planning application to bring the airport’s existing Northern Runway into routine use has now entered the examination phase with the Planning Inspectorate. This low-impact plan will improve resilience, reduce delays, and provide a significant boost to the national and regional economy by supporting trade, tourism, and new jobs.   

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Belfast City Airport named Most Punctual UK Airport in 2023

George Best Belfast City Airport has been confirmed as the UK’s Most Punctual Airport for 2023 following the publication of the latest performance figures from the Civil Aviation Authority.

 

The data analyses arriving and departing scheduled and chartered flights throughout the year, with results revealing that Belfast City Airport was the most punctual of the 25 UK airports included in the survey.

 

Mark Beattie, Chief Operating Officer at Belfast City Airport said:  “At Belfast City Airport we always aim to deliver a passenger experience that is convenient and hassle free, and we are thrilled to have the best on-time-performance of any airport in the UK across the calendar year 2023.

This achievement is owing to our team’s dedication to going above and beyond to maximise performance and efficiencies to ensure our passengers can move through the airport, and get to their destination, as quickly as possible.

 

Our unrivalled punctuality combined with our prime location, only five minutes from the heart of Belfast City Centre, and an average security processing time of just 6 minutes allows our passengers to enjoy a smooth start to every journey.”

 

Belfast City Airport currently operates routes to 30 destinations across the UK and beyond in partnership with its six airlines, Aer Lingus, British Airways, easyJet, KLM, Loganair, Lufthansa, and charter partners Royal Caribbean, Travel Solutions and TUI.

Conor McCarthy, Executive Chairman at Emerald Airlines & Dublin Aerospace said "As George Best Belfast City Airport’s largest airline, serving 11 destinations in the UK, for Aer Lingus Regional. Emerald Airlines are very proud to have been part of this achievement.  Well done to all the hard-working crews, engineers and handling agents who made this happen."

British Airways is embarking on a multi-million-pound investment programme to overhaul its ground support equipment at Heathrow Airport

British Airways is embarking on a multi-million-pound investment programme to overhaul its ground support equipment at Heathrow Airport, as part of its commitment to reducing emissions both in the air and on the ground. The airline will gradually be replacing its ground vehicles at Heathrow, such as vans and cars, cargo transporters and passenger steps, moving towards hybrid or electric alternatives where available. Already, more than 90% of British Airways’ vehicles and ground equipment at Heathrow are either zero emissions electrical equipment when being used or driven, (hybrids) or are operating on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel. 

Improvements include:  

Replacing more than 750 pieces of ground equipment, including fuel bowsers from fossil fuel to HVO. HVO is an interim measure whilst the airline gradually transitions to zero-emissions (when being used or driven) or hybrid equipment. Supplied by the airline’s current sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supplier, Phillips 66, the use of HVO is anticipated to save more than 6,000 tonnes of CO2 per year compared to traditional diesel fuel, the equivalent of more than 8,000 round-trip economy passenger journeys between London Heathrow and JFK*.  

Replacing all diesel passenger aircraft steps with electric alternatives. This aims to reduce fuel consumption by more than 370 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, based on previous diesel usage, which is the equivalent of more than 500 round-trip economy passenger journeys between London Heathrow and JFK*. Many of the electric steps will be in full service by the end of the year. 

Phasing out its fleet of 20 diesel-powered vehicles which support the loading and unloading of cargo containers onto aircraft, replacing them with Hybrid Electric models.  

Introducing 135 new electric baggage tugs, accounting for 40% of our tugs, to transport customer's luggage. This improved battery and charging technology utilises highly efficient lithium-ion battery technology, requiring less energy and producing 30% less C02 when in use compared to traditional lead acid batteries. We are working closely with our supply chain in order to recycle as many battery components as possible at the end of life. 

Gradually phasing out all 38 diesel passenger buses over the next two years, with 23 expected to be fully electric and the remaining 15 operating on HVO fuel, with a large charging park at Heathrow now in the early stages of development. The use of these vehicles is expected to save 800 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, helping to reduce negative air quality impacts around the Heathrow area. 

Tom Moran, British Airways’ Director of Heathrow, said: “At British Airways, we are committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner and our focus isn’t just about reducing emissions in the air, but on the ground too. This major investment into our vehicles at Heathrow is our largest investment in more sustainable airport ground operations to date and is part of our wider environmental objective to minimise emissions from our airside ground operation. We’re proud of the work we are doing in this space and are excited to continue improving the running of our ground operations at Heathrow.” 

Passenger numbers rise at Vinci Airports.

The airport operating arm of the Vinci group has released the latest figures from February 2024 which show passenger numbers are on the rise. Globally, the number of passengers in February 2024 exceeds its pre-pandemic level by more than 3%

Change in VINCI Airports commercial movements (ATM)

World-first high-tech time-capsule lands at East Midlands Airport

High-tech time capsule arrives

Hundreds of children have submitted their predictions of the future to the UK’s children’s radio station, Fun Kids, to be locked into the time capsule to be discovered by future generations. 

Created by US design studio CW&T, the capsule is made from a decommissioned scuba tank with custom electronics. Once sealed, a countdown clock in the capsule’s lid displays how long remains before the time capsule unlocks itself. It’s the first-ever electronic time capsule and can seal its contents for up to 100 years.

The time capsule was delivered from Brooklyn NY to East Midlands Airport via DHL. It’s due to be displayed at We The Curious Science Centre in Bristol when it reopens later this year.

Lloydie James Lloyd, Content Controller at Fun Kids said: “We’ve had entries about everything from futures where homework tastes like strawberries to the invention of teleportation devices! It’s great that they’re going to be kept safe in a time-capsule that’s as high-tech as these predictions.”

Houston Airports enhance traveller experience with next-gen mobility using HPE Aruba Networking

To continue delivering reliable and dynamic traveller experiences, Houston Airports, one of North America’s largest public airport systems, is modernizing guest connectivity by expanding its relationship with Hewlett Packard Enterprise by adopting a Wi-Fi 6E-enabled HPE Aruba Networking solution. The deployment will improve wireless and location-based services the organization delivers to its approximately 60 million annual passengers and visitors across its George Bush Intercontinental Airport and the William P. Hobby Airport.

As an international gateway to the south-central United States and Latin America, Houston Airports contributes more than $36 billion to the local economy and provides more than 190,000 jobs. Hosting over 30 passenger airlines, Houston Airports is ensuring it can meet the mobile experience expectations of today’s travelers by rolling out high-performance, free guest Wi-Fi connectivity and debuting a step-by-step wayfinding app to help travelers get to their gate, baggage claim, and airport amenities.

Additionally, Houston Airports deployed HPE Aruba Networking Beacons to provide additional location-based telemetry data in support of its new mobile app, which was built using The Aruba Meridian App Platform.

“We’re continuously evolving our services to supply travelers and facility users with next-generation connectivity experiences, while also being good stewards of public funds,” said Darryl Daniel, CTO at Houston Airports. “HPE Aruba Networking has proven a responsive, reliable partner that has provided us with robust, cost-effective solutions for our wireless infrastructure.”

Growing passenger numbers at East Midlands Airport

February saw almost 700,000 more customers choosing East Midlands Airport for trips abroad than last year, signalling one of the best Easter and summer seasons ahead for the popular travel hub.

Latest figures show that more than 3.8m people have travelled through EMA this financial year – a 22% increase on last year. The growing number of people picking EMA for an effortless start to their low-cost holidays increasingly includes travellers from further afield including South Yorkshire, West Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.

The new figures are released as the airport gears up for the Easter break from the end of this month, which will be immediately followed by the start of the summer season. The signs are good for this period to be the best since the pandemic, with bookings for the fortnight from Good Friday currently showing more than 188,000 passengers expected to fly through EMA.

Two of the main airlines serving EMA, Tui and Jet 2, are each adding an extra aircraft to those based at the airport, meaning the aircraft stands will be at capacity this summer. Tui has added a new route to Naples for this summer, while Eastern Airways will start flying to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, offering EMA customers the chance to make onward journeys around the world with Air France.

And from Easter, passengers will also benefit from some of the first improvements that have been carried out as part of a £120m investment programme at EMA. This includes upgraded toilets, a refreshed Castle Rock bar, new seating, better customer wi-fi throughout the terminal and new trolleys.