Advancing Airport Tech: Biometrics, 5G, and Screening Upgrades
Oshkosh AeroTech, a manufacturer of aviation ground support equipment, has delivered its 7,000th LEKTRO towbarless aircraft tractor to Atlantic Aviation at Miami-Opa Locka Airport (Florida, United States). The milestone unit, a LEKTRO 88i electric towbarless tractor, was supplied to the fixed-base operator as part of its ramp operations, following the 80th anniversary of the LEKTRO product line in 2025. LEKTRO equipment has been in service since 1945 and is used at airports, FBOs, aircraft manufacturing sites and military installations worldwide.
The LEKTRO 88i is designed for electric aircraft handling and is deployed as part of wider airport and FBO electrification programmes across North America, Europe and Asia.
ATL Partners, a United States-based private equity firm, acquired SkyMark Companies and Rampmaster in January 2026 to form a combined aviation ground support equipment platform. SkyMark Companies manufactures aircraft refuelling trucks, hydrant dispensers and specialised aviation vehicles, while Rampmaster designs and produces aircraft refuelling solutions for commercial and general aviation markets. The two businesses will operate under their existing brands while being combined under a single ownership structure focused on aviation solutions, refuelling systems and ground support equipment.
Management teams from both companies will retain leadership roles and roll equity into the combined business. Rampmaster’s executive team, led by Leighton Yohannan, alongside owners Owen Watkins and Daniel Watkins, will remain in place, as will SkyMark co-founders Steven Paul, Doug Moskowitz and Mike Ellis.
ATL Partners stated that SkyMark and Rampmaster represent the first investments under its Fund III vehicle, with the transaction forming part of a strategy to build a scalable platform serving airports, airlines and aviation service providers globally.
A facial biometric access control system was tested at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (Hawaii, United States) to assess its use for restricted-area workforce access.
The system, known as Rock X, was developed by Alcatraz and underwent operational testing under live airport conditions. The evaluation was conducted by the National Safe Skies Alliance, a US non-profit organisation funded by the Federal Aviation Administration that assesses airport security technologies for reliability, detection performance and maintainability.
The trial focused on using facial recognition for physical access control to secure areas rather than passenger processing. The system uses opt-in enrolment, encrypted biometric templates and audit functions intended to align with data protection frameworks, including GDPR and US state privacy laws.
According to the National Safe Skies Alliance, the test reflects wider interest among airports in extending biometric authentication beyond passengers to employees and restricted zones. An evaluation report on the system has been made available to authorised airport personnel through the Homeland Security Information Network.
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The Transportation Security Administration confirmed on 9 January 2026 that it has awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to deploy advanced passenger screening technology at selected United States airports ahead of the Football World Cup 2026. Under the contract, Rohde and Schwarz will supply its QPS201 advanced imaging scanners to airport security checkpoints in host cities as part of a wider TSA programme to modernise passenger screening for major international events. The QPS201 system, which uses millimetre-wave technology, is designed for high-volume screening and received TSA qualification for use at US checkpoints in 2022.
More than 100 QPS201 units are already in operation at airports across the United States, with over 2,000 systems deployed globally. TSA stated that the rollout forms part of longer-term preparations for increased passenger volumes linked not only to the Football World Cup but also to other major events planned in the United States later in the decade.
Brisbane Airport (Queensland, Australia) has deployed new forecasting and security management software as part of ongoing upgrades to its passenger screening operations. Copenhagen Optimization implemented its Better Forecast and Better Security modules at the airport on 13 January 2026, providing data-driven tools for passenger flow forecasting, security lane planning and resource deployment. The software is intended to support operational decision-making through shared, real-time planning data across airport teams.
The deployment coincides with the completion of major upgrades to security screening lanes at Brisbane Airport, including the introduction of CT Standard 3 screening technology that allows passengers to keep laptops and liquids in their hand baggage. The screening upgrades form part of the airport’s wider Future BNE infrastructure programme, which is focused on preparing terminal facilities for long-term growth.
Miami International Airport (Florida, United States) introduced biometric eGates at two of its busiest passenger screening checkpoints in December 2025 as part of preparations for increased traffic ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The eGates were deployed by CLEAR and allow enrolled passengers to complete identity verification in under five seconds and proceed directly to physical screening, while all security control and vetting remains with the Transportation Security Administration. The pilot supports TSA’s broader checkpoint modernisation programme and is intended to increase processing capacity during peak travel periods and major international events.
Miami International Airport is the United States’ second-busiest airport for international passengers and the busiest for international freight. The airport is currently advancing a capital improvement and maintenance programme valued at USD 9.0 billion, aimed at expanding capacity and upgrading infrastructure as passenger volumes continue to grow.
On 13 January 2026, Boldyn Networks was selected to deliver a new 5G connectivity system at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The agreement covers the design, construction and management of a next-generation neutral host distributed antenna system providing 5G coverage across more than 92,900 m2 (one million square feet) of terminal space, concourses, airfield areas, parking facilities and the rental car centre. The system is intended to support airport operations and passenger connectivity across the full airport estate.
Boldyn Networks was selected through a competitive procurement process and will also be responsible for ongoing system maintenance, upgrades and performance reporting over the life of the contract. Network design is underway, with deployment expected to begin in early 2026.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport handled 52.6 million passengers in 2024 and serves more than 50 million passengers annually.
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A biometric immigration corridor has been deployed at Dubai International Airport, enabling arriving passengers to clear border checks without presenting travel documents. The system, known as the Red Carpet Smart Corridor, was developed and implemented by emaratech, a Dubai-based government-owned technology services provider, using facial biometric technology supplied by Paravision. Oversight of the project is provided by Dubai’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, which manages immigration and residency controls in the emirate.
The corridor allows multiple passengers to pass through immigration while walking, with the system capable of processing up to 10 people simultaneously in approximately 6 to 14 seconds. The solution uses facial recognition to verify identities against existing records and was launched in September 2025 following several years of development work on contactless border processing in Dubai.
Paravision’s biometric algorithms have been independently evaluated for demographic performance by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. The company is also involved in pilot deployments of similar contactless corridor technology at Orlando International Airport in the United States, while emaratech has implemented facial biometric systems from other vendors for airline crew clearance applications in the UAE.
flydubai has selected a digital turnaround management platform for deployment at Dubai International Airport, with initial implementation announced on 9 January 2026.
The airline, flydubai, a government-owned low-cost carrier based in Dubai, has appointed ZestIoT to digitise aircraft turnaround operations across its network, starting at Dubai International Airport. The platform provides real-time visibility of ground handling activities and uses data-driven and predictive tools to support day-of-operations coordination and decision-making.
flydubai operates more than 135 destinations in 58 countries using a fleet of 97 Boeing 737 aircraft and averages around 370 daily flights at the airport. The system integrates multiple operational data sources to support turnaround planning and execution as part of the airline’s existing technology partnership with ZestIoT.
Amadeus and the International Civil Aviation Organization formalised a memorandum of understanding on 9 January 2026 to support digital transformation under ICAO’s No Country Left Behind initiative.
Under the agreement, Amadeus will contribute technical expertise, knowledge sharing and support to help ICAO member states adopt digital technologies aligned with ICAO strategies, including the TRIP framework and Doc 9303 specifications. The collaboration focuses on capacity-building and technical assistance, cross-border interoperability of biometric systems, and training programmes covering technical and regulatory aspects of digital identity and biometrics in air travel.
International Civil Aviation Organization and Amadeus are developing a timeline and roadmap for implementation, with initial No Country Left Behind deliverables expected in the first half of 2026.
Publisher’s note: The articles in this special report, compiled for inter airport Europe, are a few select samples from the biweekly Momberger Airport Information newsletter, published since 1973. The newsletter is an advertising-free, global airport news service that consists of 9 modules and allows subscribers to customize their own newsletter package. The modules that make up the biweekly newsletter are: Airport Development (DEV), Calendar of Events (CAL), and the subscriber-selectable modules Airport Operations (OPS), Management, Ownership & Finance (MGT), Ground Support Equipment (GSE), Air Traffic Services (ATC), Consultant & Contractor / Sustainable Aviation (CON), Airport Information Technology (AIT), and Maintenance Base & FBO (MRO). For more information, a sample of a complete newsletter issue, and to order an annual subscription, please visit www.mombergerairport.info.
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