Industry News

We provide a snapshot of some of the latest news stories from across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

FEVER PITCH AT AUCKLAND AIRPORT

Auckland Airport has unveiled its new-look International Arrivals area with a grandstand and mock football field to welcome visitors ahead of the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 tournament.

Chief customer officer, Scott Tasker, said the airport wants to give players and fans a warm Kiwi welcome to the host city and create a moment that resembles walking out of a player’s tunnel and onto the pitch.

“Welcoming sports heroes to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is something we’ve been really looking forward to, so we’re showing our support for this global women’s sporting tournament by creating an arrivals experience like no other,” enthused Tasker.

“We can’t wait to see the teams start to arrive from early July and the community enjoying the space.”

Kitted out with a 22m by 17m football field, the New Zealand gateways believes that the new-look area will help people can get into the spirit of the event and welcome their favourite teams into the country.

CAG TO HELP DEVELOP UZBEKISTAN GATEWAY

Changi Airports International (CAI) has signed an agreement with Uzbekistan Airports Joint Stock Company (JSC) to jointly develop Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport in Uzbekistan.

The gateway is the largest international airport in the Republic of Uzbekistan and the third busiest airport in Central Asia based on pre-pandemic passenger levels.

The agreement – CAI is the international subsidiary of Changi Airport Group (CAG) – also includes looking into the possibility of building a new international airport in Tashkent in the future. CAI’s CEO, Eugene Gan, said: “Changi Airports International is pleased to collaborate with Uzbekistan Airports JSC. Uzbekistan is one of the fastest-growing countries in the Central Asia region with great potential for business and tourism.

“We look forward to sharing our airport development and management expertise to optimise the capacity, operational standards and financial performance of the existing Tashkent International Airport as well as support the plans to develop the new airport, which is in the pipeline, to support Uzbekistan’s plans to grow its trade and tourism industries.”

HAMAD OUTLINES SUSTAINABILITY GOALS

Hamad International Airport (DOH) celebrated the UN’s World Environment Day by confirming its commitment to sustainability and pledging to up its efforts to beat plastic pollution.

The airport reports that an enhanced waste management system led to 40% of its operational waste being reused or recycled in the fiscal year 2022/2023, including 736 tonnes of plastic waste, while non-recyclable waste was used to produce electricity.

Further enhancements to the system, driven by the airport’s goal to send zero waste to landfill, has since led to over 1,200 tonnes of waste a month being diverted from landfill for further segregation, recycling and energy recovery.

To maintain the airport landscape features and requirements, organic fertiliser originating from recycled green waste is used after being introduced as one of the initiatives from Hamad International Airport’s partnership with the Ministry of Municipality.

Through the airport’s dedicated wastewater treatment plant, 100% of the wastewater generated from the airport is reused for landscape irrigation, resulting in zero wastewater being discharged to the sea.

The gateway also notes that DOH’s Oryx Airport Hotel has replaced plastic with more sustainable solutions, such as with water containers created from 76% vegetable origin replacing plastic bottled water, introducing bamboo guestroom cards, utilising recycled paper for all hotel collaterals and substituting plastic hotel amenities with more biodegradable materials.

Earlier this year the Doha gateway successfully renewed its Level-3 ‘Optimisation’ status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.

NEWCASTLE BREAKS GROUND ON TERMINAL EXPANSION PROJECT

Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, made a flying visit to Newcastle Airport in early July for the official ground-breaking ceremony for the gateway’s Terminal Expansion Project.

The event marked the beginning of construction for the project, which is designed to enhance the airport’s capacity, efficiency, and overall user experience.

Newcastle Airport CEO, Dr Peter Cock, says the transformative construction project is critical to delivering the region the airport it deserves.

“Aviation is a catalyst to our economy’s growth and our region’s transition,” noted Dr Cock. “Newcastle Airport is committed to growing the airport the region deserves. As the sixth largest economy in the country, the people of our region are passionately behind our airport and connecting the Hunter to the rest of the world.”

Talking about the design of the terminal expansion, Newcastle Airport’s executive general manager of marketing and communication, Burcak Sezar, said: “The design incorporates the sand dunes, our beaches, and the iconic Hunter Valley in the design and colours.

“We want people in our airport to know they are in Newcastle Airport. We want the people of the Hunter to feel that this is our airport and use it with pride.”