About: airports

EU adopts temporary measures to help transport sector

The Council of the European Union on Monday (16 February) adopted temporary measures to help the transport sector, which has been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the relaxation of rules regarding airport slots and the extension of the validity of driving licences.

Air France, unions rail against EU bailout conditions

Air France and its pilot unions protested on Wednesday (3 February) against EU demands that the airline give up takeoff and landing slots at its Paris base in return for government aid.

Berlin’s new airport set for Halloween opening

Berlin Brandenburg airport will open its doors for the first time on Saturday (31 October), a decade late and billions of euros over budget. The ill-fated hub is opening for business at an inauspicious time for aviation.

French Vinci gets concession for Belgrade airport

The French Vinci Airports corporation will manage Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport for the next 25 years. The government is counting on the concession boost investment in the airport, but not all are convinced.

Why European passengers pay more for their flights than they should

The EU has failed to make airports competitive and fair for travellers. It needs reform, writes Thomas Reynaert.

How to make Europe’s airports safer

It might sound counterintuitive for an industry – especially in the UK – to call for it to be regulated by the EU. Yet this is what British ground handlers are calling for, writes John Geddes.

Member states to impose ‘no-fly zones’ for drones

Within weeks, the European Commission is expected to conclude the first EU rules for all types of unmanned aircraft, in which the  ‘geofencing’ of airports and city centres will come as a top priority.

Hackers bombard aviation sector with over 1,000 attacks per month

As airlines and airports increasingly become targets of cyber attacks, the EU’s aviation safety agency has urged taking cyber threats “seriously” by launching a common strategy.

Brussels and NGOs share doubts over France’s Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport

Three days before the vote on the future of the Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport, a host of environmental issues remain unresolved. The European Commission has joined NGOs in expressing serious concerns over the project. EURACTIV France reports.

Commission wants aviation deals with growing markets by 2019

European Commission will start negotiating comprehensive aviation agreements with United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, and countries from the Southeast Asia region, after member states gave the green light on Tuesday (6 June).

Airport security chiefs question controls outside terminals

Following the terrorists attacks in Brussels on 22 March, airport security chiefs are calling for heightened intelligence cooperation.

Terrorism hits economic growth, as Commission unveils spring forecast

Security concerns and the risk of new terrorist attacks are expected to further damage European economies in the next few months, against a backdrop of the weak economic growth seen in the EU over the last years, the European Commission warned in its spring economic forecasts on Tuesday (3 May).

Brussels Airport reopens to thin stream of passengers

Brussels Airport reopened to a thin stream of passengers on Sunday, 12 days after suicide bombers destroyed its departure hall and killed 16 people.

Brussels airport announces reopening amid strike threats

Brussels airport said it would partially reopen for passenger flights on Friday evening after its closure following the March 22 bomb attacks, the company running the airport said.

EU states urged to share more intelligence with airports

European Union aviation security experts agreed on Thursday (31 March) that police and intelligence agencies should share more information with transport authorities and operators to help prevent attacks like last week's twin bombings at Brussels' Zaventem airport.

New airline alliance takes off, aims at airport costs

In an unprecedented step, Europe's five largest airline groups, including budget carriers EasyJet and Ryanair, launched a new alliance on Wednesday (20 January) to combat rising airport charges amid a fierce battle with Gulf rivals.

US mulls visa restrictions on EU travellers after Paris attacks

Lawmakers were introducing legislation this week tightening the program that allows millions to travel to the United States without a visa, as Congress moves to enhance security following the deadly Paris attacks.

MEPs call for strong action against subsidies for Gulf airlines

The European Parliament called for fair competition from the Gulf countries in the aviation sector.

Brussels orders France to reclaim Ryanair subsidies

The European Commission has taken Paris to court for failing to recover nearly €10 million in anticompetitive subsidies paid to Ryanair and Transavia. EURACTIV France reports. 

Germany confirms gaps in airport security monitoring

Berlin has admitted to failings in airport security checks, causing the Left Party and the Bundespolizei to call for their de-privatisation. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Vraneš: Cutting aviation emissions starts on the ground

SPECIAL REPORT / While airlines are under the gun to cut their greenhouse gas emissions, a new EU-financed study by researchers from Germany, Ireland, Italy and Serbia suggests that airports waste significant amounts of energy. By taking relatively inexpensive steps, airports could save money, cut energy consumption - and reduce emissions.

EU millions wasted on white elephant airports, say auditors

Millions of euros of EU money was wasted on too many airports, on airports that are too close together and do not attract enough passengers, the European Court of Auditors has found.