Airport Updates: Latest News On The Global Market (W/C Sept. 28, 2026)

The latest news on airports globally, with updates on financing, infrastructure expansion and sustainability initiatives.

Centralny Port Komunikacyjny (CPK), Poland’s flagship transport infrastructure project combining a new international airport with a nationwide high-speed rail and road network, said it is nearing the beginning of the main foundational works for the passenger terminal. CPK has finished installing test piling. “The test piles installed are currently undergoing testing and load tests, which will confirm the adopted design solutions before the main foundation works begin,” CPK said. As part of the main works, more than 8,000 piles and columns, ranging from 30 ft. to 100 ft. in length, will be installed. The total length of the elements reinforcing the ground will exceed 87 mi. Located between Warsaw and Lodz, CPK is envisioned as the largest airport in Central and Eastern Europe and one of the top 15 hubs in Europe. CPK aims to open in 2032.

Auckland Airport (AKL) has kicked off construction of a new baggage handling system. More than 6 mi. of baggage-conveyor equipment will be added or replaced, making the new system three times longer than the current system, which is more than 30 years old. The project is targeted for a 2029 completion. “The baggage system is the backbone of the airport,” AKL Chief Infrastructure Officer Murray Burt said. “While the current system has served us well for decades, it's been continually added to over the years, making it a bit of a spaghetti junction. We're now replacing it with a new generation of technology.” AKL is transitioning to a common-use, self-service check-in system in which traditional counters will be replaced and airlines will share space and technology.

Brussels Airport (BRU) has started upgrading passenger boarding bridges in its Pier A terminal, which handles Schengen-zone flights. All 33 bridges in the terminal will be modernized by 2031. The cost of the project, which will be carried out in phases, is expected to be around €25 million ($28.5 million). “The oldest bridges date back to 2002,” BRU said. “After nearly 25 years of intensive daily use, several technical and structural components have reached the point where renewal is required.” BRU expects the refurbished boarding bridges to be capable of another 15 years of operation.

Global infrastructure company Ferrovial is using autonomous machinery to construct a new runway at Rafael Hernández International Airport (BQN) in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The project costs $239 million, and the new runway will be 11,000-ft. long. Three compaction rollers, overseen by a single operator, are programmed to operate autonomously. The rollers have AI-powered vision systems and obstacle detection technology and “can automatically stop when people or vehicles are detected, reducing the risk of incidents in high-activity work areas,” Ferrovial said. “This solution enables the rollers to perform multiple passes within a previously defined area, following planned trajectories. The automation of the machinery allows continuous and precise control of each compaction phase, while helping improve productivity by reducing downtime typically associated with manual operations,” the company said.

Air France-KLM is moving operations from Terminal 2 to Terminal 5 at Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN). The transition will take effect on Oct. 26. All passengers will go to Terminal 5 for check-in, baggage drop, security screening and departure. Eligible passengers will have access to SkyTeam partner SAS’ lounges located near Gates E1 and F26 in ARN’s Terminal 5.

The Canadian government is providing CA$7.5 million ($5.3 million) to Windsor International Airport (YQG) in southwestern Ontario to rehabilitate the asphalt and modernize edge lights on Runway 07-25. A portion of the money will also go toward acquiring an additional Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting vehicle. YQG is served by Air Canada, Porter Airlines and WestJet.