USA Today reported this week that a fire erupted in the cargo section of New Delhi’s international airport (IATA: DEL), but luckily there were no reports of injuries or deaths. According to the news article the fire, however, destroyed cargo awaiting clearance and gutted the offices of some airlines.

A few thousand kilometers Southeast of India, in Singapore, Changi Airport (IATA: SIN) was said to revamp its two-hour free bus tour of Singapore. The Strait Times wrote that the Changi Airport Group wants to refresh itineraries for the current two options – the Colonial Tour, which showcases the Singapore River and the civic district, and the Cultural Tour, which highlights Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam. The refreshed tour is said to become available from April.

Over in the United States it was all good news when NJ.com wrote that JFK International Airport (IATA: JFK) is to take part in a quicker screening process. According to the article some passengers flying out of John F. Kennedy International Airport will soon be able to keep their shoes and belts on during screening, leave their laptops in their cases and even carry a full bottle of shampoo onto the plane. It was also said that the reprieve from those post-9/11 security measures will take effect sometime early this year when JFK becomes the region’s first airport to take part in a voluntary program to speed the screening process. We bet our New York bound travellers can’t wait for this to happen soon enough, right?

Moving on to something different: Well, you surely agree with us that birthdays in the small days of January aren’t exactly popular with the oh-so-hung-over-from-new-years-eve crowd, yet in the case of Abu Dhabi Airport (IATA: AUH), we make an exception and cheer loudly to the 30th birthday it celebrated on 4th January. Hip Hip Hurray!

To finish off the first airport news of the year, we want to leave you with not just one, but two of our famous, weird airport stories. First of all, there was this awesome little piece from 11alive.com that showed us some great examples of weird things people try to take through airport security. You’ll discover land mines, flares and improvised explosive devices to name just three.

And finally, on the same topic of smuggling stuff through security, there was this from Argentina: According to the CBS News a man tried to board a plane at Buenos Aires’ international airport (IATA: BUE) with almost 247 (nope, this isn’t a typo, two-four-seven!) poisonous snakes and endangered reptiles in his baggage. What was he thinking, we wonder?

That’s all for now – we wish you a great start into 2012 and, as always, travel safely! One more thing, make sure you visit us early next week as we’ll be launching something very exciting. You can even win some awesome prizes, so stay tuned!

[Photo from Flickr - Some rights reserved by Lars Plougmann]

Wednesday seemed anyway to have been the “black” day of US aviation last week as there was another massive incident that day: At Washington’s Reagan National Airport (IATA: DCA) an air traffic supervisor dozed off in the control tower early Wednesday, forcing passenger plane pilots to land on their own. He was drug-tested by federal authorities before being suspended from his job, federal officials said to the Washington Post. On Friday the same newspaper wrote that the incident triggered the FAA to revise U.S. air traffic control rules. “Effective immediately, we are instituting an interim plan to ensure we do not repeat another situation like the one at Reagan National Airport Wednesday morning,” Federal Aviation Administrator Randy Babbitt said in the article.

On Tuesday it was reported that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at the world’s busiest airport, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (IATA: ATL) say they’ve foiled a destructive beetle from entering the country, where it could have done massive damage to crops. The khapra beetle was found in the luggage of two passengers arriving from India.

And finally, Saturday saw the fourth installation of Earth Hour, a global event organized by WWF asking households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change. Many of the world’s airports also participated by shutting down non-essential lights. Google news lists London Luton (IATA: LTN), Singapore Changi (IATA: SIN), Stockholm Skavsta (IATA: NYO), Budapest (IATA: BUD) and Abu Dhabi airport (IATA: AUH) among others to have participated.

[Photo from Flickr - Some rights reserved by MNicoleM]

But is everything a mirage in the airport of the capital of the United Arab Emirates? Not really. The shiny terminal 2 which was built to accommodate the fast growing number of passengers before the new Terminal 3 will be opened later this year is definitely real. It’s real but it lacks a bit of character. More of the latter can be found in Terminal 1 which reminds you of the days when this was a small desert airport serving mainly business people from the Emirates capital. These days the airport is the main hub for the UAE’s national carrier, Etihad Airways. Founded in 2004 the airline already serves 45 destinations and has even ordered the new Airbus A380. It’s no surprise then that the airport is a 24-hour operation with shops and restaurants constantly serving the arriving and departing of mostly transiting passengers.

Besides looking for black gold or animals, there a some other things you can actually do between your flights:

• Check out the food court on the first floor of Terminal 2 – you will find something for everyone (Upper Crust, Burgerking, Gino’s Pizza, Yum Cha Asian Food, Oriental buffet, bars and coffee shop)
• Stretch your legs and walk to terminal one (about a 10 minute walk). There you will also find free internet terminals
• Visit the food store on the lower ground floor of Terminal 1 where you can find some products from the Emirates (dates, nuts, etc.)
• If you have some more time and are in desperate need of a shower, check in to the airport’s own transit hotel

Airport Name	Abu Dhabi International Airport
Website	http://www.abudhabiairport.ae/
IATA Code	AUH
Design
Shopping
Toilets
Overall
	AED 465.00 (£84.40)
	AED 270.00 (£49.00)

[Picture from Flickr - some rights reserved]