Industry news

Germany’s Berlin Brandenburg Airport reports decline in traffic in November

Credit: Markus Mainka / Shutterstock.com

7 December | Traffic

Berlin Brandenburg Airport Willy Brandt (BER) in Germany witnessed a total of 213,000 passengers departing and landing in the first month of its opening on 31 October 2020.

In November, the airport registered approximately 4,700 flights.

As against the previous month of October, the passenger numbers at BER for November decreased.

In October, Schönefeld and Tegel airports, both of which ceased operations and moved to BER, recorded 581,322 passengers.

The low level of passenger traffic has been attributed to the worldwide air traffic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In November 2019, the Schönefeld and Tegel airports processed 2,544,833 passengers. However, the count of passengers this November has dropped by 91.6%.

With regard to the flights, there has been a 77.3% decline in November 2020 compared with the same month last year.

From January and November, a total of 8,833,958 passengers were recorded. The passenger volume lies at 26.7% as against the same timeframe.

Around 1,900t of air freight were transported at BER in November 2020. This records a decline in air freight volume of 39.5% as against the same month last year.

Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH CEO Engelbert Lütke Daldrup said: “The situation regarding airports and airlines is a dramatic one. The second lockdown and the immense travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic have further complicated flying.

"An end to this crisis is unforeseeable. That applies even to Christmas travel, where the outlook is rather bleak. People want to travel, but they also want safety. Only once a fully effective vaccine is found, shall air traffic recover.”

Credit: Markus Mainka / Shutterstock.com

7 December | Infrastructure

London City Airport releases new master plan

London City Airport in the UK has issued its new masterplan, detailing how the airport can develop in a sustainable and responsible way under its long-term vision.

The masterplan follows a 16-week discussion carried out mid-last year.

This plan was finalised after the consideration of all comments received from local residents, stakeholders and passengers during the consultation period.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the masterplan, which was originally scheduled to be published in March, was postponed as focus shifted to provide support to passengers, staff and local communities.

The new masterplan, which is a non-statutory document, will replace the airport’s previous 2006 master plan.

The new plan outlined how London City Airport can provide capacity for up to 11 million passengers and 151,000 aircraft movements per year by using the existing runway to the optimum in line with government policy.

It aims to assist in London’s recovery from the pandemic by supporting 5,300 local jobs and providing improved connectivity to more domestic and European destinations.

To decrease its overall carbon emissions and become net-zero by 2050, the airport intends to work in collaboration with key industry, governmental and community associates.

After the consultation feedback, the airport has also proposed to continue its current eight-hour night time flight curfew, with no immediate plans to extend its operating hours either during the week or at weekends.

London City Airport CEO Robert Sinclair said: “This plan, which has been shaped by local feedback, aspiration and emerging policy, sets out how the airport will recover and return to growth in the years to come. In the short term, it is clear that our focus has to be on recovering from the devastating impacts of Covid-19, supporting our communities and welcoming back passengers and airlines to London’s most central airport.

“While the shock of the pandemic has been significant, history shows us that aviation is an incredibly resilient industry as people’s desire to travel, whether for business or leisure, is never diminished for long. Aviation is also a key enabler of other industries such as trade, tourism, hospitality, retail and conferences, protecting and generating jobs and economic prosperity. As the country plans its recovery, I am convinced that aviation will play a key role as the UK builds back better.”

3 December | Covid-19

Airlines and airports urge governments to abolish quarantine measures

Airlines and airports have urged EU / EEA and UK Governments to abolish quarantine measures and other travel restrictions immediately as EASA / EDC guidelines confirm the ineffectiveness of these measures.

The appeal was made after EASA and the European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control (ECDC) published new recommendations, rejecting these measures’ use in the current state given that virus transmission is widespread already.

In its guidelines titled ‘Guidelines for Covid-19 testing and quarantine of air travellers: Addendum to the Aviation Health Safety Protocol’, EASA / ECDC stated that air travellers do not increase the rate of virus transmission as they account for less than 1% of all detected Covid-19 cases.

ACI EUROPE director general Olivier Jankovec said: “These guidelines unequivocally show quarantines to be essentially politically driven, non-risk-based measures, which bear no relation to what is actually needed to safeguard public health. As such, quarantines fail the test of proportionality, a key principle of EU law, particularly since there are no equivalent measures at land borders.

“This has resulted in unprecedented limitations to the freedom of movement and the freedom to provide services. We call on national governments to immediately abolish their quarantine restrictions and restore freedom of movement for European citizens.”

As per the guidelines, 14-day quarantines are effective only in an ‘exceptional situation’ wherein a country has attained full control in reducing transmission levels close to zero.

Airlines for Europe (A4E) managing director Thomas Reynaert said: “Rapid testing which utilises the latest technologies available and meets the high sensitivity and sensibility criteria established by ECDC can help restore predictability, reignite passenger confidence and thus re-establish flight connectivity for European passengers.”

Europe IATA regional vice-president Rafael Schvartzman said: “Rapid testing of passengers for Covid-19 opens the door to restarting air travel by eliminating quarantine. And the public agrees: some 65% of travellers surveyed suggest quarantine should not apply to passengers who have tested negative.

“The EASA / ECDC protocol makes it clear that quarantine is not an effective measure in the present circumstances. And it is important that the protocol should also be applied to remove the temporary travel restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU from third countries.”

3 December | Deal

New terminal at Mexico’s Puerto Vallarta Airport to be completed in 2024

Mexican airport group Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) has announced its plan to complete construction of the new terminal building at Puerto Vallarta International Airport in 2024.

The new terminal building will increase the airport’s capacity by almost 60%, reported Vallartadaily.com.

Guadalajara Airport director Martín Zazueta was quoted by the website as saying: “For the purpose of Puerto Vallarta, whose main investment is the new building, it will be built as it was planned for this five-year period, they are different needs, since Puerto Vallarta had a series of requirements and the construction of this terminal building was necessary during the deadlines set from the start.”

According to the proposal for adjustment to the Master Development Programs 2020-2024, the total investment was estimated to stand at $149,241 (Mex$3m) in 2017.

More than 50% of this investment (Mex$1.7m) will be made in 2023 and 2024.

Along with Terminal Two of Guadalajara Airport, the new terminal will be designed to cater to net zero environmental sustainability.

2 December | Deal

Boeing tests autonomous technology at Queensland’s Cloncurry Airport

Boeing has tested its newest autonomous technology at the first commercial drone flight testing facility of Australia, which is located at Cloncurry Airport in Queensland, Australia.

The testing took place over ten days and the company used five high-performance surrogate jets, which were equipped with the technology.

The testing was supported by a A$14.5m investment from the Government of Australia.

The funds were used for the design, construction and support of the drone test facility’s foundation stage at Cloncurry Airport.

Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning Steven Miles said: “Australia’s first commercial drone flight testing centre is officially open for business at Cloncurry Airport.

“The construction phase of this state-of-the-art testing facility for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) supported more than 100 direct jobs in the region, including five new apprenticeships.

“The facility is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere and includes a hangar, buildings for office space and monitoring equipment, range control systems, a surveillance radar and amenities.

“The centre has now hosted its first test flights, by aerospace giant Boeing. Boeing Australia tested their advanced autonomy project, including brain-on-board technology over ten days in Cloncurry, flying up to five high-performance test aircraft in a team for the first time.”

QinetiQ was selected for the design and construction of the facility. The company also set up the flight test range and oversaw the foundation stage of the drone testing facility.

QinetiQ Australia managing director Greg Barsby said that the range will support the weight classes of UAS to carry out routine flying operations, demonstration activities and test and evaluation trials.

2 December | Covid-19

Delhi Airport reaches one million international passengers since reopening

Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India, has reported reaching the one million international passenger mark in October since the reopening of airport services on 25 May following the two-month-long Covid-19 lockdown.

The airport is connected with 66 international destinations through Vande Bharat Mission flights.

According to Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) officials, the airport saw an increase in inbound passengers from Dubai, Changi (Singapore), Heathrow (London), Bangkok, and Kathmandu airports during the festive month of October.

The airport also handled 1.9 million domestic passengers in October on the back of the festive season, which is 42% of the pre-Covid-19 traffic handled at its domestic terminals.

In the wake of the festive season, airports of Mumbai, Srinagar, Bengaluru, Patna, and Hyderabad remained the top five destinations for domestic travel, DIAL said.

DIAL CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said: “With the recent announcement by the government to permit up to 70% of domestic slots in the coming days, we are hopeful of achieving the pre-Covid-19 levels soon.”

Last week, Ministry of Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola stated that almost 65% of the domestic traffic has reached pre-pandemic levels.

He also said that in the next two to three months, domestic traffic may return to a normal level.

According to DGCA data released last month, domestic traffic declined 57% year-on-year in October, despite a 33% increase over the month before.

Compared with 67 destinations in pre-Covid-19 times, Delhi airport handled 69 domestic destinations in October.

2 DECEMber | Deal

Quad City International Airport in US deploys CT checkpoint scanner

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at Quad City International Airport (MLI) in Illinois has begun using an advanced computed tomography (CT) checkpoint scanner for 3D imaging.

The system uses sophisticated algorithms for explosives detection and creates a 3D image that can be viewed and rotated on three axes for visual analysis by a TSA officer.

In case a bag requires additional screening, TSA officers will check it to ensure that no threat item is kept inside.

The 3D imagery enables on-screen image manipulation for TSA officers to get a better view of a bag’s contents, without opening a carry-on bag.

TSA deputy federal security director for Downstate Illinois Jeff Hardacre said: “This new technology provides critical explosives detection capabilities and improves the ability for our TSA officers to determine whether an item inside a carry-on bag is a possible threat.

“This state-of-the-art technology represents an improved security threat detection capability at the checkpoint and it also reduces the need for pulling aside a bag to be opened, which reduces a touchpoint during this pandemic.”

The scanner works similarly to the equipment that is used to scan checked baggage for explosive devices.

It has been designed to fit at checkpoints and creates a clear image of a bag’s contents.

The system can automatically detect explosives, including liquids.

By shooting several images with an X-ray camera spinning around the conveyor belt, the scanner provides three-dimensional views of the contents of a carry-on bag to TSA officers.

TSA has noted that the checkpoint CT technology should result in fewer bag checks.

In November, TSA at Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) in Florida, started using an advanced computed tomography (CT) scanner at its security checkpoint.

TSA also deployed a credential authentication technology (CAT) unit that authenticates the validity of travellers’ identifications (IDs), along with their flight information, in near real-time.

30 November | Deal

Hamad International Airport to deploy advanced radar

Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has signed a contract with Leonardo, an Italian multinational company specialising in aerospace, defence and security, for installing and operating an advanced radar, named Approach Surveillance Radar PSR and MSSR (primary and secondary radars), at Hamad International Airport.

The contract was signed by CAA Financial and Administrative Affairs Department director and Tender Committee chair Ali Hamad Al-Kuwari and Leonardo branch director Abdallah Mroue.

The new radar will be added to existing radars at HIA.

It will also help in keeping pace with the growing capacity of the airport and Qatari airspaces, resulting in the enhancement of air traffic surveillance, air navigation safety and security.

The radar will be used in monitoring aircraft movement and identifying them within Qatar’s airspace and nearby areas within a coverage range of almost 230 nautical miles.

The device will also enable control over air navigation space during the upcoming FIFA World Cup in 2022.

In October, HIA secured independent verification from British Standards Institution (BSI) for the implementation of Covid-19 ICAO Aviation Health Safety Protocols.

BSI conducted verification after the successful audits for Compliance to International Civil Aviation Organisation Civil Aviation Recovery Taskforce (ICAO CART).

In September, OSI Systems’ security division secured a contract to deliver a range of security inspection systems to Hamad International Airport.

The $59m order was awarded by the Qatar Company for Airports Operation and Management (MATAR).

In a separate development in the Middle East airport segment, Bahrain’s new Bahrain International Airport Air Traffic Control Center building will be ready and delivered by the end of this year, reported Bahrain News Agency.

In brief

MAG launches Covid-19 testing scheme at three UK airports

Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has launched Covid-19 testing centres at Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports in the UK.

Woolpert bags AEG contract from Purdue University Airport in Indiana, US

Purdue University Airport in the US state of Indiana has contracted Woolpert, an architecture, engineering and geospatial (AEG) firm, to provide architecture and on-call engineering services at the airport.

Smiths Detection wins contract to supply ETD systems to airports

Smiths Detection, a provider of threat detection and security screening technologies, has secured a contract of more than $4m from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for the supply of IONSCAN 500 DT Explosives Trace Detection Systems (ETD) to airports across the US over the next two years.

Glasgow Airport set to double pick-up and drop-off facility charges

Glasgow Airport in Scotland has announced the doubling of pick-up and drop-off charges from 4 December.

India restricts international flights until end of 2020

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India has extended the ban on international flights until 31 December following a new order passed by the Government of India.