More and more Southeast Asian countries are upgrading their existing airports, as well as building new ones. Southeast Asian governments can manage airport capacity in one of two ways: build mega-hub airports or construct smaller, optimum-sized airports which can be scattered across the country. Indonesia, for one, is spreading its airport construction to smaller islands. It is slated to open Kertajati International Airport in West Java in mid-June of 2018.

The recent introduction of facial recognition technology by popular low-cost airline, AirAsia, to shorten security queues could also have utility in countering the terrorism threat in Southeast Asia. Even so, effective implementation for that purpose will need to be counterbalanced by sound regulatory laws. The new facial recognition technology, known as the ‘Fast Airport Clearance Experience System’ (FACES) is currently being tested in Johor’s Senai International Airport in Malaysia.

Airlines, airports and passportsIn this past week, news in ASEAN countries mainly focused on airports and the aviation sector. In Malaysia, AirAsia – the leading low-cost carrier in the region – announced that it is partnering up with SATS Ltd of Singapore to expand its reach in both countries. The low-cost carrier is also looking at beefing up its current fleet and is expected to bring in 23 new planes by the end of 2017.

Singapore's Changi Airport opened a cutting-edge terminal Tuesday with a fully automated check-in system including facial scanning and computerised baggage drop points, but some passengers struggled with the new technology.Terminal 4, built at a cost of S$985 million (723 million dollars), will have an annual capacity of 16 million people and is aimed at coping with an expected increase in passenger numbers through one of Asia's top travel hubs.It is packed with new technology, mean