Yesterday, operations at Frankfurt Airport were thrown out of control after protesters cut through the fence and glued themselves to operational areas of the airport, posing a security risk to aircraft. We have seen many such protests in recent years and it does not look like they will stop overnight. There are already calls for harsh penalties to prevent such actions, but there are also calls for more airport security at German airports. When I flew back to Frankfurt yesterday, I saw the consequences first hand. My plane did not land until 11:15 p.m. and I saw many people sleeping wherever they could and signs pointing to a makeshift camp. What do you think is the solution to mitigate the impact of some of the protests? (Photo: Fraport)

Today, the UK’s Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has announced its plans to serve long-haul markets such as the US and the Middle East as part of its Vision 2030 growth plan. This would be a significant shift for aviation in the UK, where long-haul flights are typically operated from larger hubs such as Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland, Manchester in the north-west of England, Birmingham in the Midlands, and Gatwick and Heathrow in London. Such flights are rare at smaller locations and are generally limited to seasonal leisure flights such as TUI’s flights from Newcastle to Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) in Florida. Nevertheless, the world of aviation is changing, and the development of long-haul narrow-body aircraft is likely to open up routes from UK provincial airports that previously did not have enough passenger demand to fill a wide-body jet. Leeds Bradford Airport cites the Airbus A321XLR as a perfect example of this and

While many airport terminal operators prioritize investment in duty-free shops or restaurants, others go a step further and try to make the stopover experience as comfortable and luxurious as possible. Airports like Singapore Changi, Hamad International in Doha and Dubai International all have facilities that give passengers great memories. From cozy bedrooms to champagne lounges, some of these places could be mistaken for a 5-star hotel. Hamad caught my eye with its size and range of options for relaxing. Which airports stand out to you? Let us know what you think below!

The UK is one of the best-connected countries in the world. London Heathrow is praised for its well-connected network as Europe’s busiest airport, handling almost 80 million passengers annually. However, as of August, Heathrow only offers nonstop flights to four South American cities – Bogota, Santiago, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In comparison, Madrid is connected to 17 South American airports. Some surprising names, including tourism hotspots such as Peru and Argentina, are not served from London. It’s also important to note that the UK has a fast-growing Latin American diaspora. With Madrid just a stone’s throw away from the UK capital, perhaps British Airways will let its IAG counterpart Iberia conquer the Latin American market from Spain. Meanwhile, South American airlines may find it difficult to grab coveted slots at Heathrow. What do you think? Let us know below!

More and more travelers are packing tracking devices in their luggage after negative headlines about lost and delayed luggage have emerged in recent years. Personally, I always travel with an AirTag in all my bags. On my last trip to Frankfurt, thanks to my AirTag, I knew it was in Frankfurt and was able to pick it up when Lufthansa hadn’t even found it yet. I’ll write an article soon to go into more detail about this… In the meantime, we want to know what you think about passengers traveling with AirTags and related tracking devices. Let us know your thoughts below! (Photo: ErickPHOTOPRO | Shutterstock.com)

Some passengers find it crucial to arrive at the airport many hours before departure. Others don’t mind arriving close to departure. During normal operations, many airports and airlines in Europe and North America recommend arriving three hours early for long-haul flights and two hours early for short-haul flights. I usually follow this recommendation to be on the safe side. However, do you think passengers should arrive earlier? Let us know below!