Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) recaptured its ranking as Europe's fourth-largest airport in terms of passenger volume last year, following a strong 10.2% increase in throughput. Based on provisional figures released by AMS, the hub served 49.8 million passengers in 2011 compared to 45.2 million in 2010. Cargo traffic remained virtually unchanged at 1.5 million tonnes. The number of air transport movements rose 8.8% to 420,245.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal signed a seven-year agreement with SITA to put its AirportConnect Open into operation at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) in Kathmandu. The common-use platform will be implemented initially at 24 check-in counters, later expanding to 36. Passengers currently using the airport are faced with long queues due to the lack of airline common-use facilities at the airport.
Airport Authority Hong Kong has recommended the building of a third runway at Hong Kong International (HKI) after results of a public consultation on its long-term growth plan released in December showed large support for the expansion. The HKI Master Plan 2030 consultation, conducted by the University of Hong Kong, showed that 73% of respondents support the building of a third runway, while over 80% of respondents agree that HKI should continue to expand.
UK airports operator BAA's financial advisers on the sale of Edinburgh Airport (EDI) are expected to send out information memoranda to parties interested in bidding for the asset in mid-to-late January, Dow Jones Newswires reported.
Taif has been named as flydubai's seventh destination in KSA, strengthening its commitment to the Kingdom and expanding its network across the GCC, Middle East, Africa, Indian Sub-Continent, Asia and Central & Eastern Europe.
Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) and DFS - the world's leading Duty Free luxury retailer catering to travelling public – have announced the launch of a major initiative to support the 'Hand in Hand for Haiti' foundation that was set up following the catastrophic earthquake that hit the country in January 2010.
Wizz Air will launch 2X-weekly Gdansk service to Trondheim (April 1) and Haugesund (April 4). Southwest Airlines will operate daily seasonal Ft. Myers, Fla. service to Hartford, Conn. and Providence, R.I., and daily Baltimore-Tucson service Feb. 12-April 9. Etihad Airways launched 4X-weekly Abu Dhabi-Dusseldorf Airbus A330-300 service. It will increase to daily April 14.
Ethiopian Airlines inaugurated a new route between its Addis Ababa base and the Oman capital Muscat on December 27 as it further builds its presence in the Middle East market. The airline is offering a three times weekly service, the first direct link between the two countries, using a Boeing 737-700.
In a move designed to strengthen and optimize its international network, Air China (CA) on March 10 will resume service to Paris CDG from Shanghai Pudong using a Boeing 777-300ER.
