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US airports now have software to prevent aircraft from landing on taxiways by mistake
Major airports in the US are using software that prevents aircraft from landing on taxiways and risking collisions.
Hitting the Books: That time San Francisco's suburbs sued the airport for being too loud
Dr. Eric Porter, Professor of History at UC Santa Cruz, examines how San Francisco International came to be and the challenges it will face in a climate changing 21st century in his latest work, A People's History of SFO: The Making of the Bay Area and an Airport.
Hitting the Books: AI is already reshaping air travel, will airports themselves be next?
University of Toronto economists and professors Ajay Agrawal, Joshua Gans, and Avi Goldfarb posit what the airports of tomorrow might look like if AI manages to wholly eliminate the need to show up two hours early.
Hackers forced more than a dozen US public airport websites offline
The incident did not affect air traffic control or other critical operations.
Uber expands its airport reservation service globally
It's now available at 55 airports around the world.
Uber can track flights and adjust reservations when you're arriving late
Uber Reserve is now operating out of more than 20 US airports.
London City is the first major airport to control air traffic via a digital tower
London City Airport has become the first major international airport to launch a remote air traffic control system.
Supreme Court asked to review case against border device searches
The ACLU and EFF have asked the Supreme Court to hear a challenge against warrantless phone and laptop searches at borders, including airports.
US pushes Europe to reject Chinese baggage screening tech over spying fears
The US is pressuring Europe to kick out a Chinese tech company, Nuctech, making screening systems for airports.
Nintendo will host Switch pop-up lounges in four US airports
Waiting for your plane to board is boring at best and excruciating at worst. Nintendo will help passengers at four US airports pass the time with its pop-up lounges, where they can play hit Switch games, charge their devices and grab some freebies. Nintendo hopes people stop by to get a taste of how a system that converts from a home console to a handheld portable could be a great companion for travelers. The company's hit games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Party will be available to play in both TV mode and portable mode.
Heathrow Airport installs anti-drone system that can locate UAV pilots
The UK knows first-hand how disruptive drones can be to major airports. Last March, it introduced legislation to widen the drone no-fly zone around airports to five kilometers. Now, to enforce the new rules, London's Heathrow Airport has installed a system to detect and identify unauthorized UAVs.
Homeland Security wants airport face scans for US citizens
Homeland Security is joining the ranks of government agencies pushing for wider use of facial recognition for US travelers. The department has proposed that US citizens, not just visa holders and visitors, should go through a mandatory facial recognition check when they enter or leave the country. This would ostensibly help officials catch terrorists using stolen travel documents to move about. The existing rules specifically exempt citizens and permanent residents from face scans.
Air travelers entering US face long delays as CBP computers crash
Air travellers entering the US were delayed on Friday after a computer issue prevented customs officials from processing their immigration information. The CBP is reportedly investigating the problem but have yet to identify the cause.
Paris may offer flying taxis to 2024 Olympics guests
You can be sure that transportation will be a nightmare for many people attending the 2024 Paris Olympics, but technology could make it slightly more bearable. Airbus, Aeroports de Paris and the Paris Transport Authority are exploring the feasibility of using autonomous flying taxis to carry visitors from Charles de Gaulle Airport into the city. When it takes roughly an hour to get into Paris using a bus or train, this could save valuable time that would be better spent finding your hotel and, you know, enjoying the Olympics.
Germans can soon use their iPhones as virtual ID cards
iOS 13's newly expanded NFC support will be useful for more than just hopping on the subway. Germany is taking advantage of the upcoming software's support for Apple-approved NFC identification documents to let residents scan their ID cards and use them both online and for check-ins at international airports. You'll need to wait for both the release of iOS 13 (likely in September) and the German government's AusweisApp2 to make everything work, but this might just save you the trouble of pulling out your wallet to prove who you are.
Lyft also trying out PIN-based airport pickups in Portland
Lyft wants to speed up airport pickups with some changes to how it matches drivers. The rideshare company is debuting a PIN-based pickup feature at Portland International Airport today, with the plan of eventually expanding to other airports. Instead of waiting for the system to match them with a specific driver, Lyft riders join a designated line and receive a four-digit PIN they can use for the first available driver. Uber launched a similar feature today.
Uber is testing PIN-based pickup at the Portland airport
Finding your Uber at a crowded arrivals curb while several other passengers are doing the same can be daunting. To help alleviate that pain, Uber is piloting a PIN feature today at Portland International Airport in the hopes of cutting down on lengthy airport wait times and traffic congestion. Instead of wasting time hunting for their Uber, passengers can just hop in the first available car and share a six-digit code. If successful, Uber could expand the PIN feature to airports across the country.
Robot valets are parking cars at an airport in France
After a few years of testing its robot valets, Stanley Robotics will officially put its fleet to use at France's Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport this week. If you plan to park in the robot-lot anytime soon, you'll leave your car in a special garage-like box. One of Stanley's robots will literally pick up your car and deliver it to a spot. When you return, the system will use your flight information to determine when to bring your car back to a box, where you can pick it up and drive off. As the company says, that should mean no waiting or searching the parking lot.
The UK is expanding drone no-fly zones around major airports
Just a couple of months after drone sightings grounded flights at one of the UK's busiest travel hubs, the nation is expanding drone no-fly zones around airports. As of Wednesday, the no-fly radius is widening from one kilometer to five kilometers (around three miles).
Dubai Airport drone scare temporarily disrupts flights
Dubai International Airport is the latest to halt flights over a drone scare following similar incidents at London's Gatwick and Heathrow. The world's third-busiest airport temporarily stopped operations for just under 30 minutes due to "unauthorized drone activity," according to a tweet from the Dubai Media Office. Incoming flights were permitted to land during the disruption, reports The New York Times, which occurred between 10.15AM and 10.45AM local time. Operations are now reportedly back to normal.
