Whilst the recent terror attacks in Europe have not involved airports directly, they still have a secondary effect on them. The US, for example, is stepping up airport security . Here are all of our stories for this week in our overview:

• US steps up airport security (again)
• Bomb threat in Rome
• Delta’s revamped terminal at JFK
• Pet terminal planned in New York

Early in the week ABC News wrote that American airports are increasing security measures across the country in the wake of dual terrorist attacks in Paris and the publication by al Qaeda of what counterterrorism experts say appears to be the most detailed, and potentially lethal, bomb recipe ever to be sent to their followers. The article continued by saying that the Department of Homeland Security said Monday the Transportation Security Administration has stepped up random searches of travellers and carry-on luggage in addition to enhanced screening that was ordered this summer at “certain foreign airports.”

Over in Europe RT.com reported that the passengers of a Niki flight to Vienna from Fiumicino airport in Rome (FCO) have been disembarked after a man told the pilot he had a bomb in his luggage. The plane was isolated for security checks which found no explosive devices on board. Over 80 passengers of a Niki Airbus A320 to Vienna were evacuated over a suspected bomb threat after a man of Slovenian nationality reportedly told the captain that he boarded the plane with a bomb in his luggage, local media report. The suspect was taken by police for questioning while transport safety units and a fire brigade surrounded the aircraft. A security check that was carried out according to standard protocol has found no explosive devices on board.

Much better news reached us later in the week in the form of an article by the Wall Street Journal: Delta Air Lines unveiled its latest expansion Tuesday at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), completing a $175 million project to add more gates and space. Delta added 11 new gates and 75,000 square feet of space to Terminal 4. This follows a $1.2 billion Delta upgrade of its facilities at the terminal completed in May 2013.

And we stay in New York for our final article of the week. This one has got to do with your small, fury friends. According to the Daily Mail the world’s first ever airport terminal for animals is set to be built at JFK Airport. Humorously called ‘The Ark,’ the facility is set to be open for business early 2016, and is scheduled to cost around $48 million. The Ark will provide both airside and landside services to board, kennel, quarantine, import, export and transport large and small animals. There will also be a Paradise 4 Paws kennels, an aviary and a veterinarian, all designed to relax the animals before they fly out.

That’s all for this week – safe travels!

[Photo Credit: Jeremy Brooks via Compfight cc]