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Southern California’s Ontario International Airport celebrates the launch of its new Aspire premium lounges, providing passengers at America’s fastest-growing airport a new level of comfort and convenience.
Officials for the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) and Swissport International AG officially opened ONT’s two Aspire Lounges – one in each of the airport’s two terminals. The OIAA Board of Commissioners recently approved an agreement with Swissport to operate the premium lounges under the company’s Aspire Airport Lounges brand. Swissport, which operates 64 lounges at 38 airports worldwide, expanded into the United States in February with the opening of a newly refurbished lounge in San Diego.
The all-inclusive premium airport lounges open to all ONT travelers. Guests receive a wide variety of amenities that include hot and cold food and beverages, plush and relaxing seating with ample power outlets, high-speed Wi-Fi and up-to-the-second flight information.
“We’re pleased to welcome Swissport and Aspire Airport Lounges to Ontario. These new premium lounges add to the excitement and momentum that has been building at ONT and reflects our commitment to provide our customers with the best amenities and experience possible,” said Alan D. Wapner, President of the OIAA Board of Commissioners.ADVERTISEMENT“We are delighted to open two new Aspire Lounges in America’s fastest growing airport. The opening of the Ontario lounges mark an important milestone in the expansion of our global lounge network,” says Nick Ames, Head of Lounges North America. “The new lounges in Ontario are open to all travelers irrespective of travel class or airline and offer a dedicated space to relax, refresh and recharge before a flight.”
The Aspire Lounge in Terminal 2 will be open from 5 a.m. – 1 p.m. and from 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. (and until 12 a.m. on Wednesdays). The lounge in Terminal 4 will be open from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The lounge is open to all passengers for a current admission fee of $37 per adult.
Visits can be pre-booked at www.aspirelounges.com. All Aspire Lounges accept various entry methods, including eligible American Express cardholders, Priority Pass and more to come.  Each Aspire Lounge offers a discounted “thank you” rate for military and emergency personnel, currently at $30 per adult.
The lounge openings come as ONT continues its strong recovery from the global decline in air travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Already one of the fastest-recovering airports in the world, ONT has exceeded pre-pandemic passenger volumes for the past two months.

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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Federal Authorities for Identity, Citizen, Custom and Port Security (ICP) in United Arab Emirates (UAE) agreed to work together on the deployment of a Pre-Loading Advance Cargo Information (PLACI) System in the UAE.
UAE will be the first country outside of the US and the EU to implement a PLACI regime to create a more secure air cargo supply chain in the country.
The submission of advance cargo information enables ICP to target and assess risks related to cargo shipments prior to the arrival of the shipment to the country of destination. This new layer of security to be applied before loading shipments bound to UAE complies with principles set jointly by the International Civil Aviation Organization and World Customs Organization. The cooperation between IATA and ICP will ensure that industry standards will be integrated in this PLACI regime.
“IATA has a strong relationship with ICP and is proud to assist in the development of the UAE’s pre-loading electronic advance information program. The project will employ IATA messaging standards and existing business processes in one of the few pre-loading electronic advance information programs currently developed worldwide. The endorsement of IATA standards by a national administration is an important step towards harmonizing standards across the industry which is critical for the secure flow of trade.  We look forward to a successful implementation, setting an example for other countries,” said Kamil Alawadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and Middle East.
“The cooperation between IATA and ICP regarding air freight security will contribute to achieving a higher level of security in this vital sector in light of harmonizing national regulations with international standards. This will facilitate the smooth flow of supply chain security and trade through a developed and coordinated approach, which will reinforce UAE’s position as an international center for trade and shipping. It’s worth noting that the ICP UAE is one of the pioneering institutions implementing the initiative which complies with International Civil Aviation Organization and World Customs Organization joint standards” said His Excellency Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaeeli ICP General Director.ADVERTISEMENT

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Signature Aviation, the world’s largest private aviation terminal operator, has announced the opening of its newly constructed private aviation facility at Birmingham Airport (BHX) in the United Kingdom. The opening marks the full revival of Signature Birmingham following a flood affecting its previous 1930’s era terminal building.
The greenfield construction represents Birmingham’s newest and best-appointed Fixed Base Operator (FBO) facility, featuring a 222 sq. m. building replete with traveler lounge space, refreshment area, and a passenger security screening checkpoint. The terminal also includes a dedicated pilots lounge, and an electric vehicle charging station. Furthermore, Signature Birmingham will continue to offer the consistent, expert line service for which it is renowned for visiting aircraft.
“Signature rapidly mobilized to operate from a temporary facility immediately following the damage to our previous FBO; however, this opening solidifies our ongoing commitment to our customers and the Birmingham Airport as we look to the future,” said John-Angus Smith, Managing Director for Signature EMEA. “We’re thankful for the support of Birmingham Airport Ltd in helping to reestablish Signature’s presence at the airport.”
“The newly built FBO in Birmingham reflects the resilience of our team and the importance of this location within our EMEA network” shared Daniel Myles, Area Director UK. “General aviation continues to be a commercial driver to both the airport and Birmingham city, and we look forward to greeting attendees of the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Women’s UEFA Football Championship this summer.”
Construction of the new facility lasted 12 weeks, with interior fit and finishing taking an additional four weeks.ADVERTISEMENT

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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has written to the Canadian Government urging the ministers in charge to take immediate action to reduce the massive delays at immigration and security which are presently occurring at the country’s main international airports.
Over the past weeks, Toronto’s Pearson International Airport alone reported that passenger wait times at security screening doubled and, in some instances, even quadrupled. Meanwhile, passengers on nearly every second international arriving flight were subjected to immigration delays, which in some cases included waiting on the airplane for up to three hours before they were allowed to disembark. Over the past four weeks, the travel plans of around 100,000 passengers per week have been disrupted.
Barring the option of the Government removing the current vaccination mandate for air travel, the use of ArriveCAN for capturing and submitting vaccination and health information, and the random on arrival testing, IATA is asking the relevant authorities to:
Introduce dedicated immigration lanes for arriving international passengers who did not provide their required health and vaccination details in advance through ArriveCAN. Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) data shows that the immigration process for passengers where the ArriveCAN details need to be collected on arrival takes 3-5 minutes as compared to 15-30 seconds in cases where the data has been supplied in advance. This would speed up the immigration for all passengers who completed their ArriveCAN before landing in Canada.
Upgrade the mobile app version of ArriveCAN to include the immigration and customs related questions so arriving international passengers can submit their relevant information in advance of arrival (currently only available on the web based ArriveCAN in Toronto and Vancouver).
Relocate on-arrival random testing facilities from the terminal / airport and/or offer a home testing option.
Ensure that both CBSA and Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) have the staffing required to offer an efficient immigration and passenger screening process.
“Aviation, along with travel and tourism, were hit particularly hard during the COVID-19 pandemic and even more so in Canada, due to the very strict border control measures implemented by the government. Following the easing of many of these restrictions, demand is coming back and it is clear that people want to travel. We can therefore ill afford to have passengers subjected to unacceptable wait times both on arrival in the country or on departure. The relevant authorities must urgently consider removing the last remaining travel related COVID-19 restrictions and work with the industry on policies and processes which will allow passengers to pass through airports with no undue delay,” said Peter Cerda, IATA’s Regional Vice President for the Americas.

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Changi Airport Group has announced that operations in Terminal 2 (T2) will resume on 29 May 2022, the first phase of the terminal’s reopening as Changi Airport prepares to meet the expected increase in passenger traffic in the months ahead.
Closed for upgrading works since May 2020, T2’s phased reopening will augment Changi’s capacity. When completed by 2024, the expansion works will raise the terminal’s capacity by five million to 28 million passenger movements per year.
In this first phase of T2’s progressive reopening, key touchpoints such as arrival immigration, baggage claim belts and contact gates at the southern wing of the terminal will be ready for flight operations. T2 will host mainly peak-hour arrival flights of airlines operating in Terminal 3 (T3). A small number of T3 departure flights may use boarding gates at T2 although passengers on these flights will continue to check in and clear departure immigration at T3.
Those coming to Changi to receive passengers are advised to check which terminal an arriving flight has been assigned to. The information will be available on the Changi Airport website (www.changiairport.com) and the iChangi app at least two hours before the flight’s arrival time.ADVERTISEMENTMore automated lanes at immigration
The expanded T2 will see a larger Arrival Immigration Hall with more automated immigration lanes and special assistance lanes. The automated immigration lanes will serve Singaporeans and residents who have enrolled their iris and facial biometrics with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, as well as eligible foreign visitors who have done the same upon their arrival in Singapore.
As more passengers are enrolled, the number of automated immigration lanes will be increased. As for the special assistance lanes, these feature a wider width than conventional lanes, allowing passengers with mobility aids, as well as big family groups, to clear immigration more easily.
In the Baggage Claim Hall, there will be three collection belts, with one that has been lengthened to handle more bags.
Adding capacity to support travel recovery
Mr Tan Lye Teck, CAG’s Executive Vice President of Airport Management, said, “CAG is encouraged to see the strong pickup in travel demand and has worked closely with our partners to bring forward the progressive reopening of T2 ahead of the June travel peak to meet this demand. The start of flight operations at T2 will provide more capacity to support our airline partners, who are also gearing up to serve more passengers in the months ahead. T2 will reopen in phases over the next two years to support Changi’s recovery as a regional air hub.”
Changi was voted Asia’s Leading Airport 2019 by voters of World Travel Awards.

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Miami International Airport has been voted Sustainable Cargo Airport of the Year by readers and subscribers of Freightweek magazine, after earning 4,074 of 19,324 online votes during the 2022 Freightweek Sustainability Awards. MIA earned more votes than eight other finalists from across the globe.
America’s busiest airport for international freight earned the award based on its commitment in the global market to promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization; fostering innovation; achieving savings in equipment maintenance costs and workload; and encouraging energy efficiency that leads to reductions in CO2 emissions.
“MIA’s Freightweek Sustainability Award demonstrates that it is leading the way, not only as the top economic engine in our community, but also as one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly airports in the world.  This is yet another example of how Miami-Dade County is leveraging technology and innovation to reach our sustainability goals. Congratulations to our Aviation Department for this global recognition of its stellar efforts to reduce MIA’s carbon footprint in our community.” – Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava
In November 2020, the Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) and Florida Power and Light Services (FPLS) completed Phase II of its Sustainability Project at MIA, the largest energy conservation project ever in the State of Florida and one of the largest in the eastern United States.
Through the installation of $45 million worth of energy-efficient lighting, domestic water and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system upgrades primarily in MIA’s cargo area, the project will save $3.2 million annually in utility costs – enough to fuel 4,856 cars per year and approximately 10% of the airport’s annual electrical cost. It will also achieve water consumption savings equivalent to filling 16 Olympic-sized pools each year, eliminate the presence of R-22 refrigerant in the HVAC systems at MIA – ahead of the Environmental Protection Agency’s “phase out” of R-22 production and import by 2020 – and eliminate the presence of mercury vapors in lighting systems at MIA. The project will generate $60 million in guaranteed savings during the 15-year payback period. Phase II followed the completion of Phase I in 2018, which will generate a total of more than $40 million in energy and water savings through 2032, or $2.8 million annually.ADVERTISEMENTIn January 2020, Florida Power & Light Company and Miami-Dade County launched a half-acre, 402-panel floating solar installation into the waters of the Blue Lagoon adjacent to the airport. The partnership between FPL and Miami-Dade County is the largest floating solar array in the southeastern U.S. and the first-ever at an airport. The solar array, which generates 160 kilowatts of power and prevents 165 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, is also a test-bed for cutting-edge research the performance of solar panels on water.
“This prestigious award is another testament to our unwavering commitment to being an industry leader for sustainability and resilience.  We are honored to be recognized by Freightweek for our energy conservation efforts, which are achieving $6 million in energy savings annually and are reducing millions of gallons in water consumption. We look forward to implementing additional sustainability projects in conjunction with our multi-billion-dollar capital improvement program.” – Ralph Cutié, MIA Director and CEO

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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed new guidance from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) removing its recommendation that masks should be required in-flight.
EASA’s updated Aviation Health Safety Protocol, published 11 May, calls for the mandatory mask rule to be relaxed where rules have been relaxed for other transport modes. This important shift reflects the high levels of vaccination, natural immunity levels, and the removal of domestic restrictions in many European nations. The updated guidance also acknowledges the need to move from an emergency situation to a more sustainable mode of managing COVID-19.
“We welcome EASA’s recommendation to relax the mask mandate, which is another important step along the road back to normality for air passengers. Travelers can look forward to freedom of choice on whether to wear a mask. And they can travel with confidence knowing that many features of the aircraft cabin, such as high frequency air exchange and high efficiency filters, make it one of the safest indoor environments,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Several jurisdictions still maintain mask requirements. That is a challenge for airlines and passengers flying between destinations with different requirements. “We believe that mask requirements on board aircraft should end when masks are no longer mandated in other parts of daily life, for example theatres, offices or on public transport. Although the European protocol comes into effect next week, there is no globally consistent approach to mask-wearing on board aircraft. Airlines must comply with the regulations applicable to the routes they are operating. The aircraft crew will know what rules apply and it is critical that passengers follow their instructions. And we ask that all travelers be respectful of other people’s decision to voluntarily wear masks even if it not a requirement,” said Walsh.

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Airports Council International (ACI) has joined with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to call for all remaining Covid-19 restrictions applying to intra-EU and Schengen area travel to be dropped.
This includes all testing requirements, the need to present proof of vaccination or complete a passenger locator form.
The organisations also want to see mask-wearing scrapped for travel within or between states where it is no longer required in other indoor environments.
Covid-19, and specifically the Omicron variant, is now pervasive throughout all of Europe, and population immunity is at such levels that the “risk of hospitalisation or death has dramatically reduced,” especially for vaccinated people, IATA argued.
States are adopting surveillance strategies to ensure public health, in the same way as they do for other coronaviruses and infectious diseases.
Many European states have lifted domestic Covid-19 restrictions, such as the need to provide health credentials to enter social events, or the requirement to wear masks in public spaces.
Contact tracing efforts are also being stood down, rendering locator forms for international travel redundant.
As European countries open up and remove restrictions, it is only logical to remove similar restrictions from air transport.
IATA and ACI Europe today presented further evidence in support of aligning air transport rules with domestic regulations.
New research by OXERA/Edge Health shows that even if a new variant is discovered and travel restrictions introduced immediately, this only delays the peak of infections by a maximum of only four days.ADVERTISEMENTIn reality, by the time that a new variant emerges, is identified, and restrictions are put in place, the variant is likely already circulating in communities around the world.
In a scenario where restrictions are delayed by a week from identification, the peak in infections per 100,000 people is only delayed by a maximum of two days.
These negligible health benefits are therefore outweighed by the significant social and economic damage caused by the negative impact on air travel.
“The independent research and modelling published today shows that governments can lift restrictions with confidence – both for today and for any future variants of concern. 
“Travel restrictions have proven to be a blunt instrument with little to no impact on virus transmission.
“Removing all Covid-19 restrictions will finally fully restore the freedom to travel.
“That will be a much-needed boost for the whole travel and tourism sectors which has been forced to shed hundreds of thousands of jobs during the pandemic,” said Olivier Jankovec, director general, ACI Europe.
Julia Simpson, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) chief executive, said the body supported the call.
A statement added: “WTTC fully supports the call from IATA and ACI Europe to end all remaining restrictions applying to intra-EU and Schengen area travel.
“The patchwork of restrictions do nothing to prevent the spread of Covid-19 but have caused serious damage to the economy, causing the loss of jobs and businesses.
“Over the past few weeks, we have seen economies reopening.
“It is time to remove these ineffective restrictions and allow people to travel freely.”

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