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Singapore Changi Airport Named World’s Best by Skytrax

March 15, 2017
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Changi Wins Best Airport Award | Airports Industry NewsIt has been announced at the Passenger Terminal Expo held in Amsterdam this week, that Singapore’s Changi Airport has been named World’s Best Airport for the fifth consecutive year. It is also the eighth time Changi has scooped the award since they began in 2000.

Skytrax World Airport Awards invites air travellers to cast their votes every year for airports around the world, in an annual global customer satisfaction survey, based on the following categories:

  • Leisure amenities
  • Cleanliness
  • Most-improved
  • Airport hotels
  • Airport staff service
  • Airports for dining
  • Regional airports
  • Shopping
  • Passenger numbers

Across the board, Changi Airport demonstrated high scores, and came out victorious at the top of the pile overall.

Individual winners included London’s Heathrow Airport, with an award for the world’s best airport shopping, Tokyo Haneda Airport is hailed as the world’s cleanest, and Hong Kong International has the best airport dining experience.

For full details of the winners, visit the website today.

Southampton Airport Runway Race Needs More Runners

March 5, 2017
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Southampton Airport Runway Run 2016 | Join Them in 2017Every year, the UK’s Southampton Airport hosts its annual runway race in aid of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight County Air Ambulance.

From 5am until 7am, the runway is closed to host the race, in which more than 500 runners are expected to take part this year, on Sunday 25th June.

Dave Lees, managing director at Southampton Airport is looking forward to welcoming the runners to his runway, ‘This year we are hoping to get even more people involved and even more money raised with the goal of hitting the £10,000 mark to celebrate the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance 10th Birthday. This is an incredibly worthwhile cause and we hope to see many people taking part, despite the early start!’

Prizes will be up for grabs this year for the best dressed runner, and of course, the fastest.

To register for the event, which costs £20 to enter, with all proceeds going directly to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight County Air Ambulance, please visit the Southampton Airport website.

Norwegian Air Announces New US Flights from Ireland

February 25, 2017
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Shannon Airport | Norwegian Air US FlightsIreland’s Shannon Airport has welcomed the news from Norwegian Air International this week, as they announced two new US services to be launched this year.

The new flights will be twice-weekly to Stewart International Airport (90 minutes from New York), and Providence Green Airport (New England).

Matthew Thomas, CEO of Shannon Group said, ‘This is a very significant announcement for Shannon, for the wider region we serve and for transatlantic aviation generally. It not only brings another new carrier to Shannon, giving us our largest number of US services in over 17 years, but it’s introduces a new model of low cost flying for transatlantic aviation. Shannon has been at the forefront of so many major global breakthroughs in aviation and this is another. It supports the government’s objectives on balanced regional development. We look forward to working closely with Norwegian Air International in making these services a success.’

Bjorn Kjos, CEO of Norwegian Air is delighted to finally unveil their plans, ‘It has long been our ambition to grow our Irish operation with new transatlantic routes but these plans simply wouldn’t have been possible without the significant support we have received throughout Ireland over the last 3 years. We are hugely grateful for this continued support and are delighted to finally unveil our plans to shake up transatlantic travel with ground-breaking fares and never before seen routes in Ireland. The cost of transatlantic travel has been too high for too long so by connecting Irish cities with smaller US airports, we can offer some truly affordable fares, allowing as many people as possible to fly.’

First Anniversary Celebrations at Dubai International Concourse D

February 22, 2017
Business Aviation News

Dubai International Concoure D Anniversary | Aviation and Airports NewsThis Friday marks the one-year anniversary of Concourse D at Dubai International Airport. Over the past 12 months, more than 115,000 flights have been handled by Concourse D, bringing almost 17,000,000 passengers through a state-of-the-art, integrated environment, packed with shops, restaurants, and lounges from British Airways, Qatar Airways and Lufthansa to name but three of the five new airline lounges.

Concourse D has also seen plenty of action musically, being the host location for Dubai Airports’ special events, such as Hang Out DXB, which offered surprises to passengers with discounts, games and prizes. The addition of Concourse D has significantly impacted the airports’ capacity, taking the number of annual traveller capability from 75 million to 90 million.

“Concourse D is the outcome of a well-designed and meticulously planned project that was built around the evolving needs and expectations of our customers – the hundreds of thousands of passengers that pass through our airport every day,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports and president of the DCCA (Dubai Civil Aviation Authority).

“After a successful first year of operations, it is very clear that Concourse D has achieved its goal of delighting our passengers and our business partners.”

Biometric Self Service Technology Trial at Schiphol

February 11, 2017
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self-service-tech-schipholSome of the very latest biometric technology and self service solutions are on trial at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport this year, in conjunction with Holland’s most famous airline, KLM.

The new technology on trial will involve volunteer passengers, who will board their flights without taking their passports out of their bags, or showing their boarding passes to any personnel at the airport.

Facial recognition technology will be used during the three-month trial, which will test the process thoroughly, including how user-friendly the completely self-service system will be, in addition to its effectivity, reliability and speed of processing.

Schiphol Airport spokesperson said, ‘The ultimate goal is to make the boarding process as easy and quick as possible for passengers. The trial will take place at a selected gate at the airport. To use facial recognition for boarding, passengers must register first. There is a special registration kiosk in the waiting area at the gate. KLM staff will assist with the procedure.’

Schiphol Airport has been at the forefront of trialling new technology, and is also taking part in tests and trials for a new hand baggage scanner, which in the future may negate the necessity for removal of laptops, liquids and other items from hand baggage.

Airport security providers around the world are striving to introduce solutions for passenger processing and security screening that will increase efficiency. Common use identity management solutions have been proved to improve passenger flow, while maintaining security. Such solutions can only serve to improve efficiency, productivity and passenger satisfaction, which is a welcome break for the modern, busy airport facing challenges and increasing mandatory security requirements year-on-year.

Toronto Pearson International Airport to Get New Bag Drop System

October 20, 2016
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Improving Passenger Facilitation with Self-Service Bag Drop | Business Aviation NewsToronto Pearson International Airport has announced that it is to implement a new self-service bag drop system to improve operational productivity and passenger experience.

Canada’s largest airport, who saw 41 million passengers through its gates in 2015, look forward to automating the baggage handling process, which is set to give airlines greater flexibility, and improve the efficiency of the entire check-in process for passengers, who can use mobile devices to check-in online and download their boarding passes.

All over the world, international airports are seeking new, technologically-advanced methods to streamline the passenger processing systems; making the process easier and less time-consuming for travellers, while maintaining critical airport security and improving resource management.

Providers of airport passenger facilitation systems, such as Rockwell Collins, are driven by IATA standards, the need to increase passenger experience, and the use of biometric solutions to ensure airport security remains of paramount importance.

The automation of baggage handling systems in airports is the way forward, giving passengers greater control of their journeys, cutting waiting time and reliance on IT infrastructure, and improving passenger flow with identity management solutions.

With more than 80% of the world’s airline passenger traffic now checking in online, and arriving at the airport with pre-printed boarding passes, it is clear that automation, and the introduction of self-service bag drop features is set to change the way the public travel.

Gatwick Expansion Plan Gets London Councillor Support

October 8, 2016
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Gatwick airport runway expansion | Business Aviation BlogAccording to a UK government poll, around 63% of London councillors are prepared to support Gatwick airport’s plans for expansion, compared to just 44% for Heathrow.

The announcement from Gatwick, who has also pointed out that it will require no public funding, unlike Heathrow, comes as both airports reiterate that a new runway is necessary for the UK since the Brexit result has continued to damage the country’s economic position.

Gatwick and Bechtel can deliver second runway by 2025

Gatwick airport has also announced that it is ready to deliver its second runway by 2025, following a strategic partnership with Bechtel, one of the world’s longest-standing, respected engineering companies, who work with clients to increase economic growth.

If the UK government give the go-ahead to Gatwick, the expansion project can begin almost immediately, with significantly lower environmental impact, and lower financial risk.

Bechtel’s Amjad Bangash, general manager for infrastructure said, ‘We are delighted to be confirmed as Gatwick Airport’s partner for the second runway programme. We have provided Gatwick with robust plans for a second runway and are confident that this low risk project can be built to the highest quality, safely and sustainably – and that it can be operational by 2025.’

GE Capital Business Jet Portfolio to be Acquired by Global Jet Capital

October 10, 2015
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Global Jet Capital to buy GE Capital business jet portfolio in the Americas | Business aviation newsIt has been announced this week that Global Jet Capital, Florida-based aviation financing company, are to buy GE Capital’s Americas corporate aircraft portfolio in a deal that involves an estimated $2.5 billion in net assets.

The agreement, the details of which have not been made public, is expected to close by the end of the financial year and will also involve the GE Capital corporate aircraft team.

Global Jet Capital was launched only last year and is already heavily investing in business expansion via acquisition and organic means. Owned and capitalised by GSO Capital Partners, AE Industrial Partners and The Carlyle Group, the company is building an impressive portfolio and is managed by an executive committee that includes experienced personnel from the business aviation sector.