major hubs

For years, the Gulf airlines have used their global hubs strategy to take some of their Asian traffic from European carriers. And vice versa. But now the war in the Gulf, with Iran regularly attacking its neighbours, has shaken - temporarily, it seems - the balance of power.

It's not easy to keep track of all the different annual reports published by the various players in the travel industry. But some figures stand out more than others... And with 95.2 million passengers in 2025, Dubai airport can boast nothing less than the highest annual international passenger traffic...

It cost a whopping £1 billion - €1.16 billion - but it was well worth it. Especially for business travellers who frequently use Heathrow airport for their business trips. The London hub has just completed its technological makeover with the deployment of CT security scanners...

"What's clear, is clear". The ADP Group has clearly adopted the same approach in its quest to simplify the passenger journey. Above all, its managers have listened to international travellers who sometimes point to a lack of clarity: "today, several passengers, particularly international and connecting passengers, are reporting difficulties in the various assessments...

Are you satisfied with Emirates' current presence in France? Cédric Renard - We're very happy with our current schedule, with three flights a day between Paris and Dubai, all by A380, plus one flight a day from Nice, also by A380, and daily service to Lyon by A350. For...

Air France is definitely on all fronts: after unveiling the details of its winter programme, and speaking with one voice with Lufthansa to blame the EU's inaction, the airline is taking care of its premium showcase. A new lounge has opened its doors at a leading business hub, Chicago, to which the...

The OAG Megahubs 2025 study reveals the most connected airports in the world, both internationally and within the United States. It highlights the 50 most interconnected airports in the world, the 25 most connected airports among low-cost airlines, the 25 main US domestic hubs, as well as the 10 most connected airports...

The inauguration of the Emirates First zone was celebrated on 18 July at the Dubai hub. This further consolidates the premium status of a carrier which claims to be the world's largest operator of international first class travel, with 26,800 seats per week, and the largest number of first class seats in the world...

Air France-KLM and the ADP Group, with the support of the French government, have unveiled a strategic partnership dubbed "Connect France". Presented in the presence of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, this initiative is designed to boost the competitiveness and attractiveness of the Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) hub, while speeding up the decarbonisation of its activity....

It is the hub par excellence of the giant American Airlines, its HQ: Dallas Fort Worth. As the airline's headquarters, the Texas airport saw 'AA' carry almost 70 million passengers last year. The future Terminal F is therefore of highly strategic interest for both the carrier and the hub. And what's more...

Saudia is moving upmarket in London, especially for business customers. The Saudi airline inaugurated a gleaming lounge at its Heathrow hub at the end of April. Saudia's CEO cut the ribbon himself, marking a major milestone in the airline's London history. 10 billion...

The World Airport Awards organised by Skytrax in Madrid on Wednesday delivered their verdict. And Paris Airport can pride itself on having come away from the ceremony with well-deserved laurels. For the 4th year running, Paris CDG was named best European airport. The group's flagship also retains its place in the top 10...

With more than 7 million passengers in December alone - a record for the airport - Heathrow ended 2024 on a high note. The London hub flirted with the 84 million passenger mark last year, another record for the airport. New...

Comparison is not reason for Europe's main airports, which are still looking nostalgically at the 2019 statistics. On the road to recovery, these international hubs are making progress, and prefer to look to the figures for 2022 for a more flattering benchmark. With 79 million and 59.4 million passengers respectively...

On 11 December, Iberia launched its first direct flights to Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar. The flights are operated by Airbus A330-200, with a capacity of 288 passengers in Business and Eco class. With this Iberia flight, IAG is considerably strengthening its cooperation with Qatar Airways. With Madrid, London and...

Frankfurt International Airport's future Terminal 3 will be open to competition, while Terminals 1 and 2 will be left to the Lufthansa group and its Star Alliance partners: this is the future of the German hub. Terminal 3 will open its doors in the summer of 2026, offering airlines additional capacity of 19...

Nice airport is on a roll at the start of 2023. While Emirates has just announced the return of its star aircraft to the Côte d'Azur, the A380, Delta is preparing its return to the Nice-Atlanta route. Flights will resume on 13 May, and will be operated in collaboration with Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic....

This spring, 25 of these kiosks made their appearance in terminal 3 of the Dubai hub. These 25 Emirates-branded mobile check-in kiosks are designed to replace the fixed kiosks and reduce waiting times for business and leisure travellers. The kiosks will eventually be deployed in all check-in halls...

After two years in the wilderness, Thai Airways International is presenting a summer timetable more in keeping with its status as an intercontinental airline. This resumption follows the easing of entry restrictions to Thailand. In fact, the Kingdom is set to continue this trend (see box). Nearly 70 destinations between Thai Airways International and Thai...

We console ourselves as best we can. Recently, Channel News Asia was singing the praises of Singapore Changi airport. It has to be said that CNA is an emanation of the Singaporean government. So it's only fair that the channel should support an institution like Changi. CNA headlined the story...