Global Airport Innovations: Baggage Systems, Self-Service, and Emergency Response
Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK), the state-owned company developing the new greenfield airport near Warsaw (Poland), has signed a contract with a consortium of Vanderlande Logistics GmbH and Vanderlande Logistics Unipessoal Lda. for the design, supply, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of the Baggage Handling System (BHS) at the new CPK Airport. The contract, signed in Warsaw, is valued at EUR 115 million (USD 123 million) for delivery and PLN 97 million (USD 24 million) for operations and maintenance, with an additional optional scope of PLN 93 million (USD 23 million). The partnership between CPK and Vanderlande will extend for more than a decade.
The BHS will occupy approximately 80,000 m² and include 16 km of conveyors using Vanderlande’s Individual Carrier System (ICS) technology, in which each bag is placed in a dedicated carrier for precise, fully traceable handling. The system will manage both departure and transfer baggage, support real-time tracking for operators and passengers, and allow modular expansion to accommodate future growth. It will also incorporate robotics and automated handling processes to enhance operational efficiency and adaptability.
According to CPK CEO Dr Filip Czernicki, the agreement reflects Poland’s long-term strategy to establish CPK as a major European transport hub. Vanderlande’s experience in advanced baggage systems, he said, will ensure reliable and efficient operations from the outset. Vanderlande Global CEO Michael Schneider stated that the company’s technologies will give the airport a sustainable competitive advantage and deliver seamless operations with an improved passenger experience.
Embross (Toronto, Canada), a global developer of passenger self-service and airport technology solutions, has expanded its presence in Western Canada through new deployments of its Odyssey Common Use Passenger Processing System (CUPPS) at Edmonton, Victoria, and Kelowna airports. The systems are designed to modernise passenger handling, streamline operations, and reduce wait times.
At Edmonton International Airport (Alberta, Canada), which handles nearly eight million passengers annually, Embross installed over 200 common-use workstations and a suite of self-service kiosks. Victoria International Airport (British Columbia, Canada) received 22 new kiosks and upgraded CUPPS positions as part of a wider terminal enhancement. At Kelowna International Airport (British Columbia, Canada), new CUPPS and Common Use Self Service (CUSS) systems have been implemented to support terminal expansion and future growth.
Joey Campbell, Head of Commercial for the Americas, described 2025 as a “landmark year” for Embross in Canada, noting that the company had displaced three major legacy providers through these deployments. He said the projects demonstrate how collaboration can improve passenger flow, efficiency, and responsiveness to traveller needs.
Founded in 2011, Embross provides airport technology platforms, including self-service kiosks, bag drops, and cloud-based processing systems for airports and airlines worldwide. The company said its latest projects reinforce its commitment to supporting regional aviation development and improving airport passenger experience.
Punta Cana International Airport (La Altagracia, Dominican Republic) has added a new Oshkosh Striker 6x6 aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicle to strengthen its emergency response capability and preparedness for extreme weather events.
Delivered in September 2025, the unit expands the airport’s fully Oshkosh-equipped ARFF fleet, which also includes Pierce mini pumpers supporting airfield and perimeter operations. The new vehicle features TAK-4 independent suspension, an 11,355-litre water tank, 1,590-litre foam capacity, roof and bumper turrets capable of discharging up to 4,730 litres per minute, dual-agent capability with 250 kilograms of dry chemical, and a 10-kilowatt generator.
The Striker 6x6 is fitted with the Oshkosh Eco-EFP foam system, which allows environmentally responsible foam testing and deployment. Oshkosh Airport Products, a US manufacturer of specialised firefighting and rescue vehicles, provided on-site operator and maintenance training as part of the vehicle’s commissioning.
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Rolls-Royce is supplying seven mtu emergency power generators for the new Terminal 2 at Kuwait International Airport, ensuring uninterrupted power for core facilities including the catering building and central energy infrastructure. The 20-cylinder Series 4000 DS 3600 gensets, engineered to operate in ambient temperatures up to 55 °C, will be delivered in early 2026 under a contract awarded by the Directorate General for Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Public Works, with Turkey’s Limak as the main developer.
Terminal 2, part of the “Kuwait Vision 2035” strategy, will initially handle 25 million passengers annually, scalable to 50 million, establishing Kuwait as one of the Gulf’s most advanced aviation hubs.
Smiths Detection, a global manufacturer of threat detection and security screening systems, has supplied three HI-SCAN 6040 CTiX checkpoint scanners to Airports of Thailand (AOT), marking Thailand’s first installation of computed tomography (CT) screening technology.
The scanners, which generate high-resolution 3D images of cabin baggage using medical-grade CT imaging, enable automatic detection of explosives and other threats without requiring passengers to remove liquids or electronics. This improves security accuracy while reducing waiting times at checkpoints.
According to Smiths Detection Vice President Matt Clark, the partnership with AOT reflects a shared commitment to advancing safety and efficiency at Thailand’s airports, aligning with global trends in CT-based checkpoint modernisation.
ISS, a global provider of workplace and facility services headquartered in Copenhagen, has renewed and expanded its long-term partnership with Brisbane Airport (Queensland, Australia). Under the new agreement, ISS will provide a full suite of aviation security services across the airport’s domestic and international terminals, including passenger and baggage screening, airside and landside patrols, CCTV monitoring, inspections, emergency response, and precinct-wide security management.
The contract retains more than 700 ISS Placemakers responsible for maintaining the safety of millions of passengers travelling through the airport each year. Stuart Rose, Chief Executive Officer of ISS Australia and New Zealand, said the renewal supports Brisbane Airport’s “Future BNE” transformation programme and its preparations for hosting the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Stephen Leah, Head of Security and Emergency Management at Brisbane Airport, said the partnership reinforces the airport’s commitment to passenger protection and operational excellence as it expects to handle 25 million passengers in 2025.
Assaia, a Switzerland-based aviation technology company, has partnered with Calgary International Airport (Alberta, Canada) to deploy its ApronAI system across all 67 gates, following a successful 10-gate pilot earlier this year. The phased rollout, which began on 31 July 2025, will extend ApronAI to 47 additional gates, with the final 10 to follow after terminal renovations. The system uses computer vision and existing ramp cameras to monitor turnaround activities such as fuelling, baggage handling, catering and boarding, automatically timestamping each process to identify and prevent potential delays.
Calgary Airport Chief Information Officer Megan Gupton said full-scale adoption will deliver airport-wide visibility and efficiency improvements to support record passenger growth and rising traffic volumes.
Assaia CEO Christiaan Hen said the technology has improved on-time performance by up to 17% at other airports, reducing ground delays and enhancing overall operational reliability.
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Vancouver International Airport (British Columbia, Canada) will implement the Deep Turnaround platform developed by Aviation Solutions, a subsidiary of Royal Schiphol Group, to enhance aircraft turnaround efficiency and operational predictability. The AI-driven system analyses CCTV footage to detect and sequence turnaround events, feeding data into YVR’s digital twin for real-time monitoring and performance optimisation. According to YVR’s chief operations officer Andy Margolis, the technology will help reduce delays and improve passenger and cargo flow, while Air Canada said it will enhance the accuracy of departure time predictions.
The rollout will begin at select gates before expanding in multiple phases as part of YVR’s broader digital transformation strategy.
Bahrain Airport Company, the operator of Bahrain International Airport (Muharraq, Bahrain), announced during Gateway Gulf 2025 that it is preparing to renew its long-term partnership with SITA, a global provider of air transport IT and communications solutions. The announcement was made at the Four Seasons Hotel on 2–3 November 2025 in the presence of Ahmed Naeemi, Chief Technology Officer of Gulf Air Group, and Adonis Succar, Vice President of Business Development at SITA.
The renewed agreement will cover maintenance and support for the mission-critical airport systems that manage passenger processing, flight operations, security validation, and baggage reconciliation, ensuring seamless coordination between airlines, ground handlers, and airport teams.
According to Bahrain Airport Company, the partnership underpins the airport’s efforts to sustain a reliable and modern digital infrastructure aligned with Bahrain’s wider digital transformation strategy.
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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