Airports

The next time you fly through Tokyo's Haneda Airport, your luggage might be taken care of by the dexterous hands of a humanoid robot. It's part of a pilot program to address a shortage of ground support staff in Japan.

Passengers landing at Hong Kong International Airport this month will be greeted by a surprise friend waiting for them in the arrivals hall – a giant fluffy orange cat sleeping right in the middle of the bustling space.

Zaha Hadid Architects has revealed plans for the largest airport in Africa. As you might expect from the firm, this ambitious building is very striking, and it will take the form of a massive futuristic structure in the desert.

In a world first, two airports have done away with border guards at counters checking passports and arrival cards, in favor of a new AI-integrated biometric system that lets passengers skip the queue and pass through immigration without stopping.

Amid a flurry of announcements showing that it's going from strength to strength, electric vertical takeoff and landing maker Archer has said it's purchasing an airport in Los Angeles from which its futuristic vehicles will launch and land.

A team made up of some of architecture's biggest names has completed a new energy efficient airport. The building is defined by a sculpted ceiling that shades passengers and creates a pleasant dappled lighting effect.

Another ambitious timber architecture project has come to the United States. ZGF Architects has revealed its remarkable extension of Portland International Airport that's topped by a massive wooden roof measuring a whopping 9 acres.

Taking the form of a large white-feathered bird ready to take flight, MAD Architects' Lishui Airport is currently under construction in China. The unusual airport is slated for completion in late 2024.

Defined by an undulating roof inspired by desert dunes and Islamic geometric patterns, the Zayed International Airport, Terminal A recently opened for business. The massive building is designed to maximize light inside without becoming too hot.

SOM's new airport terminal in India provides weary travelers with a lush interior that's filled with plants and trees, and is made from natural materials like bamboo and stone. Impressively, all of its power needs are met by renewable energy.

Italian design firm Benetti Home has introduced its distinctive green walls made from stabilized lichen to the interior spaces of Sky Valet's network of Fixed-Base Operators located in Europe, to enhance the well-being of weary travelers.

Back in March, Honda announced that it was looking for partners to test its rolling electric platform "designed to enhance workforce productivity and support repetitive tasks." Now the AWV has been given inspection duties at Toronto Pearson Airport.