Virgin Australia (DJ) has launched an eight-week biodiesel trial in a baggage tug and push-back vehicle at Brisbane Domestic Airport. The biodiesel blend is derived from tallow and used cooking oil (20:80 conventional petrodiesel); it is produced by Ecotech Biodiesel in Queensland.
Airports of Thailand (AOT) have confirmed they are in negotiations with 10 airlines to see them return to Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport (DMK), which closed for commercial flights in 2006. “We will announce when we get a final announcement,” an unnamed AOT official told ATW, declining to give further details. AOT is reportedly offering up to 30% off current landing and parking fees, as well as 30% discount on space rental and counter service fees, from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2013.
France’s Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) will this summer be the first airport to trial SIM-based Near Field Communication (NFC), allowing passengers to pass through various control points and gates using only their mobile phones. Using the security of the SIM card, 50 selected passengers will trial the new service on BlackBerry smartphones, as part of a joint undertaking between TLS, IT specialist SITA, Orange Business Services and BlackBerry.
The opening of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) has been delayed again, this time to March 17, 2013, to allow more time to complete fire safety systems, the supervisory board announced. BER was originally scheduled to open in June, a date that was then postponed to August because of technical issues concerning fire protection installations ( ATW Daily News, May 9).
Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) submitted its project profile to Hong Kong director of environmental protection (DEP) to add a third runway at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) ( ATW Daily News, April 5). The submission marks the launch of the project’s statutory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and follows government approval in principle for HKG to expand to a three-runway operation.
Abu Dhabi Airports Co. (ADAC) has selected a consortium made up of local firm Arabtec Construction, Turkey’s TAV and Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) as the preferred bidder for the construction of the new midfield terminal building (MTB) at Abu Dhabi International (AUH).
