Innovations Shaping the Future of Airports 2026
Ireland West Airport (Ireland) has installed a solar-powered, step-free boarding ramp supplied by UK-based manufacturer Aviramp. The ramp, introduced at the airport in Knock, is in use for passenger boarding and disembarkation and is designed as an alternative to stairs and ambulifts, particularly for passengers with reduced mobility. During commissioning, it was used on three flights carrying multiple wheelchair users, eliminating the need for a high-lift vehicle on those services.
Aviramp stated that more than 950 of its ramps are currently in operation worldwide. The installation included on-site staff training, and the airport indicated it is considering additional solar-powered ground handling equipment as part of its operations.
Swissport, a global provider of airport ground handling and cargo services, has taken delivery of 33 electric and low-emission vans from Mercedes-Benz Vans for airside operations at multiple United Kingdom airports. The vehicles include electric eSprinter and eCitan models alongside low-emission Sprinter crew chassis units fitted with specialised cargo bodies for transporting international catering waste, maintenance equipment and operational staff. Mercedes-Benz will also provide ongoing servicing and maintenance for the fleet.
The vans have been distributed across twelve airports, including London Heathrow Airport (England, United Kingdom) and Manchester Airport (England, United Kingdom) with seven vehicles each; London Luton Airport, London Stansted Airport and Birmingham Airport with three each; London Gatwick Airport, East Midlands Airport and Belfast Airport with two each; and Bristol Airport, Glasgow Airport, Cardiff Airport and Edinburgh Airport with one each. The deployment forms part of Swissport’s programme targeting 55% electric ground-support equipment globally by 2032.
Aston University (United Kingdom) has partnered with autonomous vehicle developer Aurrigo International to advance decision-making capabilities for self-driving baggage and cargo vehicles used at airports. The knowledge transfer partnership, funded by Innovate UK, will focus on developing artificial intelligence and machine-learning algorithms that enable individual vehicles to make local operational decisions based on real-time conditions, including workload, battery levels and surrounding activity, while remaining coordinated within a wider autonomous fleet.
Research will address dynamic task allocation, interoperability between different ground-handling systems, real-time route planning during operational disruptions and scalable fleet management as airports expand autonomous ground operations, supporting wider deployment of automated airside logistics technologies.
Driving the Future of Airport Innovation
October 12 - 14, 2027 | Munich Trade Fair Centre, Germany
Alstom has completed delivery of 26 Innovia APM R vehicles to support capacity growth on the automated transit system at Denver International Airport (Colorado, United States). The vehicles form part of a wider modernisation programme to replace the original automated people mover fleet serving terminals at one of the busiest hubs in North America.
The upgraded fleet increases passenger capacity by around 1,700 passengers per hour on a system that carries more than 150,000 riders daily, while new lightweight aluminium car bodies and power systems reduce energy consumption by over 30%. An additional order for 19 vehicles will expand the fleet to 45 cars, alongside a seven-year operations and maintenance agreement with Alstom covering 2025 to 2032, supporting long-term terminal growth and operational reliability at the airport.
TK Elevator has extended and expanded its long-term mobility systems partnership with Hong Kong International Airport (Hong Kong SAR, China), covering maintenance and new installations linked to Terminal 2 expansion works. Under a renewed four-year agreement, the company will maintain more than 300 elevators, escalators and moving walks across Terminal 1 and the new Terminal 2 areas, bringing a total of 358 mobility units under its service portfolio. The contract includes multi-brand equipment support as part of the airport’s wider programme to improve passenger flow and operational efficiency.
As Terminal 2 development progresses, 96 new elevators are being installed alongside a further 78 units at the Terminal 2 Concourse, supporting capacity growth at one of Asia’s major international aviation and logistics hubs.
Vanderlande, a Netherlands-based provider of automated logistics systems for airports, warehouses and parcel facilities, has completed the acquisition of Siemens Logistics’ United States operations on 2 February 2026, following regulatory approval. The transaction represents the final stage of Vanderlande’s global acquisition of Siemens Logistics, which began in Europe, Asia and the Middle East in 2025 through a separate transaction. With the inclusion of the US business, the acquisition of Siemens Logistics worldwide is now complete.
Siemens Logistics’ US operations specialise in baggage handling and air cargo systems for airports, and their integration expands Vanderlande’s airport automation activities in the United States. Vanderlande stated that the acquisition broadens its portfolio of airport solutions and extends its technical and service capabilities for airport customers.
Following completion of the global acquisition, Vanderlande indicated that it will integrate the Siemens Logistics businesses into its existing operations, including service networks and technology development activities, across the airport automation market.
Brussels South Charleroi Airport (Belgium) has completed a long-term airfield lighting modernisation programme delivered by SPIE Belgium in partnership with Société Wallonne des Aéroports. The project, launched in 2018, involved replacing nearly 200km of underground cabling, including 5,000V high-voltage lines, 48V secondary cables and earth systems, alongside thousands of connectors and 2,450 lights. The airport now operates almost entirely with LED technology, representing about 95% of installed lighting and reducing energy consumption by 80% to 85% compared with the previous halogen systems.
Works were carried out mainly at night due to the airport’s single-runway configuration, allowing daily operations to continue without disruption. According to the project partners, the upgrade improves operational reliability, eliminates recurring cable faults and provides longer service life for critical safety infrastructure supporting ongoing traffic growth.
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October 12 - 14, 2027 | Munich Trade Fair Centre, Germany
Vestergaard Company, a Denmark-based manufacturer of specialised ground support equipment for the aviation industry, has appointed Anders Justesen Bay as chief commercial officer effective 1 March 2026. Bay, who has worked at the company since 2011 and most recently served as head of business development, succeeds Anders Larsen, who is stepping down after nearly four decades with the business. During his tenure, Bay contributed to strategic initiatives, including the acquisition of Kalmar Motor in 2022 and held roles within executive management.
Larsen, chief commercial officer since December 2013, will remain affiliated with Vestergaard Company as a consultant while transitioning into retirement. The leadership change forms part of the company’s ongoing commercial and organisational development.
SITA, an air transport technology provider specialising in airport and airline IT systems, has introduced an Advance Flight Delay Notification API designed to provide early warnings of potential flight disruptions to destination airports. The system combines up-to-date departure data with expected flight duration and automated business logic to anticipate delays and transmit real-time operational updates.
The solution delivers centralised alerts and push notifications to arrival airport teams, allowing adjustments to gate allocation, crew deployment, aircraft turnaround planning and passenger connections before aircraft arrival. Automated notifications are triggered when departures are expected to operate at least 15 minutes later than scheduled, while encrypted HTTP connections enable secure data exchange without repeated manual schedule requests.
Offered as a subscription-based service within SITA’s wider flight information API portfolio, the platform allows airlines, airports and ground handling teams to share operational data across partners to support resource planning and coordination during disrupted operations.
Vestergaard Company, a Denmark-based manufacturer of specialised ground support equipment for the aviation industry, has appointed Anders Justesen Bay as chief commercial officer effective 1 March 2026. Bay, who has worked at the company since 2011 and most recently served as head of business development, succeeds Anders Larsen, who is stepping down after nearly four decades with the business. During his tenure, Bay contributed to strategic initiatives, including the acquisition of Kalmar Motor in 2022 and held roles within executive management.
Larsen, chief commercial officer since December 2013, will remain affiliated with Vestergaard Company as a consultant while transitioning into retirement. The leadership change forms part of the company’s ongoing commercial and organisational development.
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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