New Zealand has begun a program to modernize its civil aviation rules and processes, including issues raised within International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audits. The government says new security rules will reflect the level of risk and “reduce the burden of unnecessary costs and infrastructure on smaller and regional airports.”

Starting April 2027, the government will consider new security tiers for different types of airports, which may allow different methods for managing security while still effectively mitigating risk.

Continue reading New Zealand to consider security tiers for different types of airports at Passenger Terminal Today.

Budget airline Ryanair has announced that from November 10, 2026, check-in and bag-drop services at all its airports will close 60 minutes before scheduled departure. Currently, these services close 40 minutes before departure.

The change will provide more time for passengers to get through airport security and passport queues at multiple airports, which the airline said will reduce the “very small number” of passengers who currently miss their flight departure.

Ryanair is installing more self-service bag-drop kiosks across its network, with more than 95% of airports scheduled to have them in place by October 2026.

Continue reading Ryanair to amend check-in and bag-drop rules from November at Passenger Terminal Today.

Veovo has reached an agreement to acquire Dubai Technology Partners (DTP), an airport technology and services provider with roots across the Middle East. The acquisition is intended to strengthen Veovo’s presence in the region and bring new operational and AI capabilities into its Intelligent Airport Platform.

DTP has a team of 60 airport specialists with experience in busy and complex airports, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other hubs across Saudi Arabia.

Abdul Razzak Mikati, managing director of DTP, said, “Joining Veovo feels like the right next chapter for what we’ve built at DTP.

Continue reading Veovo to acquire Dubai Technology Partners to boost Middle East presence at Passenger Terminal Today.

Royal Schiphol Group and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines have announced new measures to improve operations during winter weather, following widespread disruption caused by heavy snowfall in early January.

An independent evaluation conducted by Oliver Wyman found that the impact on passengers and staff was exacerbated by a combination of severe weather, operational challenges and the timing of mitigation measures. The disruption led to significant delays and cancellations, with passengers experiencing extended waiting times before continuing their journeys.

Continue reading Schiphol and KLM strengthen joint approach to winter weather at Passenger Terminal Today.

Amadeus has announced its intention to acquire Idemia Public Security (IPS) for €1.2bn (US$1.3bn), in a move aimed at expanding its biometric and identity capabilities across the travel sector.

The proposed acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approvals and expected to close in mid-2027, follows Amadeus’s 2024 purchase of Vision-Box and is intended to strengthen its position in airport and border technology.

IPS, headquartered in France, provides biometric and identity services to more than 600 public- and private-sector customers, and employs around 3,300 people globally.

Continue reading Amadeus plans €1.2bn acquisition of Idemia Public Security at Passenger Terminal Today.

ABM has been awarded the passenger reduced mobility (PRM) services contract at Glasgow Airport and retained its existing agreement at Aberdeen International Airport.

Both contracts, secured with AGS Airports, are valued at multiple millions of pounds and will run for an initial three-year term, with the option to extend for a further two years.

From April, around 150 ABM staff will deliver assisted travel services across the two airports, supporting passengers with reduced mobility.

Continue reading ABM wins Glasgow PRM contract and retains Aberdeen partnership at Passenger Terminal Today.

Marisa Von Wieding, VP of operations at New Terminal One (NTO), JFK International Airport, recently spoke to PT World about the introduction of Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP) in the facility, as part of our biometrics coverage in the April 2026 issue. Here’s the interview in full:

What is CBP’s EPP program, and how does it work alongside other programs (Entry-Exit, Global Entry) at NTO?

Continue reading INTERVIEW: Marisa Von Wieding, VP of operations, New Terminal One, JFK International Airport discusses EPP at Passenger Terminal Today.

Rohde & Schwarz USA has been awarded a US$4.9bn contract by the Federal Aviation Administration to modernize voice communication systems across US air traffic control infrastructure.

The contract covers the replacement of legacy analog systems with the company’s Certium Voice Communication System (VCS) at airports and air traffic control facilities nationwide. Manufacturing will take place at new and expanded facilities in Frederick, Maryland, and Coppell, Texas.

The deployment forms part of the FAA’s Brand-New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS) initiative, which aims to modernize communications infrastructure while maintaining safety and reliability across the US National Airspace System.

Continue reading Rohde & Schwarz USA awarded $4.9bn FAA contract to modernize ATC communications at Passenger Terminal Today.

Phu Quoc International Airport is set to become a fully self-service aviation hub ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2027 Forum, following a partnership between Sun Group and SITA.

Under the agreement, SITA will deploy an end-to-end suite of passenger processing technologies across a new Terminal 2, enabling travelers to use automated touchpoints to check in, select seats, print boarding passes and bag tags, drop baggage and board flights.

The new terminal is projected to handle 24 million passengers annually when it opens in July 2027, with long-term capacity scalable to 50 million.

Continue reading Phu Quoc set to become major Asia-Pacific aviation hub with SITA automated passenger processing at Passenger Terminal Today.

Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) conducted an exercise on April 17 to fine-tune its preparedness for the forthcoming typhoon season. The exercise was held in Terminal 2 (T2) in preparation for the terminal’s commissioning on May 27. It involved 700 participants from approximately 30 organizations.

The exercise simulated the scenario of a tropical cyclone gradually approaching, followed by deteriorating weather conditions culminating in the raising of Hurricane Signal No. 10. Response units including the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), relevant government departments, airlines, passenger and ramp handling agents and other airport business partners took coordinated actions to ensure the airport remained safe and operational under severe weather.

Continue reading HKIA tests emergency response readiness at Passenger Terminal Today.