The International Air Transport Association has called for stronger implementation of global standards, a transition to modernized ground support equipment (GSE) and greater digitalization in the ground handling sector.

The organization said this was needed to support safer, more efficient, sustainable and resilient ground handling.

The call was made at the 38th IATA Ground Handling Conference (IGHC) in Cairo, Egypt, on May 19.

Monika Mejstrikova, IATA’s director of ground operations, said, “Ground handling is often invisible to passengers, but when it goes wrong, everyone notices.

Continue reading Stronger standard implementation, modern GSE and digitization needed to enhance ground handling, IATA says at Passenger Terminal Today.

Airports Council International (ACI World) has launched its Policy Agenda 2030, which warns that outdated regulatory frameworks risk constraining growth, capacity and sustainability.

Director general Justin Erbacci said, “The question is no longer whether demand will grow, but whether policy will enable it. Regulatory frameworks must evolve to empower airports and position them as strategic assets that drive economic and social development. ACI World is urging governments and regulators to adopt policies that enable airports to deliver greater capacity, connectivity, resilience and socio-economic value.”

ACI World’s Policy Agenda 2030 outlines a set of priority actions for regulators and decision-makers.

Continue reading ACI’s new policy agenda sets out economic development, security, capacity and sustainability priorities at Passenger Terminal Today.

Arora Group has outlined further details of its Heathrow West (HWL) expansion proposal, which features a phased approach to delivering a third runway and a new terminal, as it calls for a formal framework to assess competing schemes.

The proposal, developed by Heathrow West Limited with technical advisor Bechtel, includes a new western terminal (Terminal 6) and a two-phase runway. The first phase would deliver a 2,400m runway by 2035, aligning with the UK government’s timeline for Heathrow expansion.

Continue reading Arora Group advances phased Heathrow expansion proposal 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.

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.

A US senator is calling for a return to the requirement for passengers to remove their shoes.

Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Il), a ranking member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee, said the US government should rescind former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s policy that enables travelers to keep their shoes on at airport security screening checkpoints after the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that the policy created a new security vulnerability in the system.

Continue reading Senator calls for return to shoes-off policy at TSA checkpoints citing security vulnerability at Passenger Terminal Today.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has published results from a series of digital identity trials, concluding that contactless international travel using biometric verification and mobile-based credentials is “already achievable” and that the industry is “ready for contactless travel”.

The proof-of-concept (PoC) trials, conducted with airlines, airports, technology providers and governments across Europe and Asia-Pacific, tested the use of digital identity stored in mobile wallets to replace traditional paper documents.

According to IATA, the trials demonstrated that passengers can complete journeys without repeatedly presenting passports or boarding passes, using biometric verification at airport touchpoints instead.

Continue reading IATA trials show contactless travel with digital identity is “already achievable” at Passenger Terminal Today.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has introduced new lithium battery-powered power bank specifications, which are now effective.

Such devices will now be limited to two per passenger, and passengers will be prohibited from recharging them during flights. ICAO says that the new specifications address emerging risks.

The ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel actively monitors emerging risks posed by dangerous goods and provides expert advice to ICAO’s standard-setting bodies. The independent technical experts of the ICAO Air Navigation Commission reviewed and endorsed the panel’s recommendations to amend the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air with some revisions, which have now been approved by the 36 states that form the ICAO Council.

Continue reading Emerging risks prompt ICAO to issue new rules on traveling with power banks at Passenger Terminal Today.

Brussels Airport has called for greater flexibility in the implementation of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), citing significant delays and disruption to passengers.

The airport said it welcomed the recent decision to postpone the registration of biometric data under the system, after waiting times for non-EU passengers reached up to two hours at departure and more than three hours at arrival.

Over a four-day period, nearly 600 passengers missed their flights due to delays at border control, with total disruption amounting to 21 hours.

Continue reading Brussels Airport calls for flexibility in rollout of EU border system at Passenger Terminal Today.

Following multiple airport and airline reports of delays caused by the rollout of the Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES), the European Union has launched a mobile application designed for non-EU travelers who are subject to EES registration.

EES has had a phased entry since October 2025, with European countries introducing the system gradually at their external borders. Full implementation is expected by April 10, 2026.

The Travel to Europe app enables travelers to pre-register their passport data and facial image before reaching a border crossing point where the EES is in use.

Continue reading EU introduces traveler app to help with EES checkpoint delays at Passenger Terminal Today.