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Groundbreaking Ceremony for Pilatus’ New Flagship U.S. Facility
Since 2022, Pilatus has been planning to expand its presence in the United States in order to supplement capacity in Switzerland, which is now close to maximum. At a groundbreaking ceremony held at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (KSRQ) on January 26th, Pilatus executives as well as representatives of regional authorities and organizations marked the official construction start of a new, state-of-the-art sales, service and production facility. This groundbreaking event ushers in the first phase of Pilatus’ long -term development in Sarasota and is a significant milestone in the company’s continuing investment and growth at the airport. Future phases will build on this foundation and expand into aircraft assembly. The facility will serve as a flagship Sales, Service and Production Center, taking quality, expertise and customer experience to a new level. Effective January 1, 2026, Pilatus integrated all US subsidiaries into a single company, Pilatus Aircraft USA Ltd, creating a unified organization of around 400 employees and harmonized systems across all US operations.
Switzerland’s first fully electric aircraft turnaround at Geneva Airport
On 29 January, Swissport completed an e-turnaround for a Brussels Airlines aircraft at Geneva Airport. From landing to take-off, the entire Swissport ground handling operation for the aircraft was completed using fully electric ground support equipment. Swissport conducted the first complete aircraft turnaround in Swiss aviation using only electric ground support equipment, covering passenger disembarking and boarding, baggage and cargo handling, and aircraft servicing, allowing for lower CO2 emissions and a seamless turnaround operation. The use of fully electric ground support equipment – including baggage tractors, aircraft pushback tractor, passenger boarding stairs and conveyor belt loaders – illustrates Swissport’s targeted measures to reduce carbon emissions while ensuring operational efficiency, punctuality and full compliance with applicable safety regulations. This milestone underlines Swissport’s global commitment to decarbonising its ground operations on its pathway to net-zero emissions by 2050, including the objective to electrify 55% of its world-wide ground support equipment fleet by 2032.
ACI: 10.2 billion passengers forecasted in 2026, 18.8 billion by 2045
Airports Council International (ACI) World released its Word Airport Traffic Forecast, the industry’s most comprehensive and authoritative outlook on global airport traffic.: Global passenger traffic forecasted to reach 10.2 billion in 2026 (+3.9% YoY). Long-term demand remains strong with global passenger traffic projected to double by 2045 and reach 18.8 billion (3.4% CAGR). Although demand shows structural strength, it is increasingly uneven across regions, with mounting capacity constraints. The long-term outlook is firmly positive. Global passenger traffic demand is projected to double by the mid-2040s, driven primarily by emerging and developing markets. “The forecast sends a clear signal to the global aviation community: long-term growth is not guaranteed without coordinated action,” said ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci. “To accommodate rising demand, the industry must accelerate investment in airport infrastructure, airspace capacity, and operational resilience, while strengthening collaboration across airports, airlines, governments, regulators, and industry partners.”
People: Christophe Roux, IBS Software
Software developer IBS Software has appointed Christophe Roux as senior vice president and head of passenger solutions. Roux will lead the company’s Aviation Passenger Solutions business globally, overseeing strategy, growth, and delivery across passenger service and airline retail solutions. IBS said the appointment comes at a “pivotal moment” for the airline industry “as carriers accelerate the shift toward modern, customer-centric and AI-enabled retailing”. Late last year IBS announced a strategic collaboration with AWS (Amazon Web Services) to develop an AI-first retailing platform for airlines. In his new role, Roux will help to shape the evolution of the passenger solutions portfolio and “scale its impact worldwide”.
Roux has more than 25 years of experience in airline IT, having led large-scale technology transformation and commercial innovation for airlines worldwide. He began his career at Amadeus in Europe, helping shape the foundations of airline IT solutions, before moving to Asia Pacific to support the company’s expansion. He later joined the Emirates Group, serving in senior leadership roles in the IT and Commercial organisations, where he led critical modernization initiatives and strategic technology investments. Most recently, he led the airline business in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa for Amadeus where he oversaw significant growth.
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