The latest news on airports globally, with updates on financing, infrastructure expansion and sustainability initiatives.
Aug. 3
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a final decision allowing London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to raise charges on airlines to recover costs related to initial work on plans to build a third runway. The UK government previously cleared LHR’s 3,500-m (11,500-ft.) northwest runway design, which will require the relocation and tunneling of the M25 roadway. The cost of the project is pegged at around £33 billion ($44.5 billion). LHR is allowed to recover initial costs up to £320 million via incremental charges on airlines over time, CAA said, noting it did not set the cap at £450 million as LHR had requested. The increased airport charges, expected to be passed on to passengers, will allow LHR to recover costs incurred in 2025 and 2026 related to planning and design to “develop a credible expansion scheme” to gain UK government approval over a rival proposal from Arora Group. “The evidence available indicated that there were plausible scenarios in which the benefits of expansion would significantly outweigh the likely extra costs to passengers arising from higher airport charges and undue delays to expansion would lead to a loss of a proportion of these consumer benefits,” the CAA said in explaining its decision.
Torino Airport (TRN) in Italy opened a renovated, two-level boarding area. A new escalator allowed for expanding the boarding area to two levels, enabling a larger retail space. “The new vertical connection also provided the opportunity to redesign the last section of the retail area, making the stores more visible, consecutive and better integrated into passenger flows,” TRN said, noting the new configuration allows the airport to open previously unused areas. TRN handled nearly 2.9 million passengers for the first six months of 2026, up 17.3% year over year.
TAV Airports, which operates 15 airports across Europe and North Africa, generated €867.3 million ($1 billion) in revenue in the first half of 2026, up 5% year over year. Istanbul-based TAV operates airports in Almaty, Kazakhstan; Ankara, Turkey; and Riga, Latvia—among others. TAV's airports handled 48.2 million passengers in the first six months of 2026, up 1% year over year. Net income for the period was €8 million, reversed from a €50 million net loss in the 2025 first half. “The first half of 2026 was a challenging period as global economic and geopolitical uncertainty continued,” TAV CEO Serkan Kaptan said. “A strong Turkish lira in real terms, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and higher jet fuel prices put pressure on the aviation industry.” But he noted revenue grew faster than traffic, citing “our diversified portfolio, operational flexibility and disciplined management.”
ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, which operates 10 Portuguese airports—including Lisbon and Porto—selected U.S. infrastructure firm AECOM to provide the initial design for New Lisbon Airport, which is slated to open in the mid-2030s to relieve congested LIS. AECOM said it will work with Portuguese partners “to deliver the initial phase of design development, providing a full range of technical, design and project management services.”
Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) was awarded Airports Council International (ACI) World's level 1 accessibility accreditation. According to ACI, three levels of accreditation are possible, with level 1 representing foundational work by an airport regarding accessibility for passengers with reduced mobility and other disabilities. Level 1 covers an airport’s strategy, policies and initial implementations for making facilities more accessible. HYD said it has started “implementing internationally recognized best practices” regarding accessibility and was assessed by ACI “on key parameters including physical infrastructure (such as ramps, signage and accessible restrooms), passenger services (including assistance programs and communication aids), staff training, and the airport's organizational culture and leadership commitment to inclusivity.”
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