VINCI Airports – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – has inaugurated major modernisation and extension works at Kansai International Airport (KIX) ahead of Osaka Expo 2025.
As around 28 million visitors are expected during the six months of the Expo 2025 Osaka global event, KIX will be one of the main gateways and is ready to ensure a unique experience for travellers. This includes a major renovation of Terminal 1, increasing its capacity to 40 million and elevating the passenger experience.
By introducing new retail areas, the largest walkthrough duty free in Japan, spaces designed to reflect various passenger profiles transiting through the airport, and one of the biggest business and premium lounges in the world – with a capacity of more than 1,000 passengers, including families – the airport aims to offer a welcoming and memorable experience.
VINCI Airports has also deployed innovations to streamline and improve the passenger journey, including:
- New check-in areas with a self-bag drop system shared between airlines.
- 10 latest-generation security screening inspection lanes using technologies based on Artificial Intelligence.
- Immigration control procedure by eGates.
- Call-to-gate technology for better passenger comfort and optimal gate allocation.
These innovations are designed to increase capacity and reduce waiting times – 95% passengers pass through security controls in less than 5 minutes.
“What a great journey for VINCI Airports and Kansai Airports we celebrated at KIX, at the service of the Kansai region’s attractivity and of its inhabitants’ connectivity to the world,” said Nicolas Notebaert, CEO, VINCI Concessions and President, VINCI Airports. “With our partners, we have demonstrated how we can leverage our expertise to optimise and modernise the airport while accelerating its environmental transition, and we will continue to do so. We look forward to welcoming the world in Kansai for the Osaka Expo 2025!”
VINCI Airports has also implemented its environmental strategy at KIX, aiming for net zero emissions across its network by 2050 (scope 1 & 2) while acting also on its scope 3. Numerous actions to avoid, reduce and segregate its carbon emissions include optimising energy efficiency, introducing electric and fuel-cell vehicles, and developing solar plants or seaweed beds as CO2 absorption sources.
In addition, while acting on decarbonising the airport’s activities, teams are preparing the future of mobility. KIX is participating in a partnership that aims to start the first large-scale commercial production of Sustainable Aviation Fuels in Japan in 2025. It has also entered a strategic partnership with Airbus to work together towards the introduction of hydrogen-fuelled aircrafts, a first of its kind at an airport in Japan.
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