The latest news on airports globally, with updates on financing, infrastructure expansion and sustainability initiatives.
Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) became the sixth airport where Waymo, the autonomous automobile ride-hailing service, has been approved to operate. The service will initially be limited to select riders already using Waymo in Las Vegas, where operations started in July within a 24-mi.2 area. “Similar to Waymo's methodical approach at other airports, access will be steadily granted to more … riders over time,” Waymo said. Pickups and dropoffs will take place in autonomous vehicle zones outside Terminals 1 and 3. Airports at which Waymo—a subsidiary of Google parent Alphabet—already operates its autonomous electric vehicles include Nashville, Phoenix Sky Harbor, San Jose Mineta, San Francisco and San Antonio.
Groupe ADP, which operates Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports and has interests in airports outside France, reported revenue of €5.1 billion ($5.7 billion) for the first nine months of 2026, up 1.4% year over year. Revenue from aviation activities at the Paris airports rose 1.6% year over year to €1.7 billion, while traffic totaled 80.9 million passengers for the nine-month period, down 0.4%. “Disruptions to the operating environment related to the conflict in the Middle East, particularly those affecting international traffic flows, are weighing on the group’s activity,” Groupe ADP said.
Spanish airports operator Aena issued a tender to renovate Runway 12-30 at Valencia Airport (VLC). The project is valued at €41.6 million ($46.6 million). It includes the renovation of the runway, upgrading of several taxiways and improvements to the perimeter road. The project is expected to occur over 27 months between May 2027 and July 2029, with much of the work taking place during overnight closures. “Airlines and other companies providing services at [VLC] will receive detailed information about the work schedule well in advance to allow them to reschedule their operations to alternative airports and reorganize their activities,” Aena said.
Ryanair received approval from local authorities to build a €50 million ($56 million) aircraft maintenance facility at Shannon Airport (SNN). The airline will construct a four-bay maintenance hangar, which will be its largest in Ireland. Construction is expected to begin in early 2027. The new facility will also include a Ryanair engineering academy with capacity for up to 80 apprentices. The airline plans to train over 400 mechanics between 2027 and 2031.
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) signed a five-year contract with the Met Office, the UK's weather forecasting service. The contract renewal extends a relationship that has been in place for 15 years. The Met Office said its team at LHR “provides onsite, tailored meteorological advice into the heart of the Heathrow Airport Operations Center. A team of embedded meteorologists provides [continuous] advice … to the key operations managers for Heathrow Airport, including airside, landside, air traffic and airlines.”
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