Cluj Airport opens 12 automated border gates and moves to a CAT III landing system for fog

Avram Iancu Cluj International Airport in Romania has put into operation 12 automated border control gates and an ILS Category III instrument landing system, presenting both at a press event on 27 October 2026. The airport says the CAT III system is already operational, moving the airport up from Category II.

The gates, supplied by SITA, are split between the two halls: six in departures for EU passengers flying to destinations outside the Schengen area and six in arrivals for EU passengers coming from non-Schengen countries. They use biometric verification and secure reading of electronic travel documents to check the identity of eligible passengers automatically, under the supervision of the Border Police, and one officer can monitor a group of six gates.

The ILS CAT III system is aimed at dense fog, which affects the region for long periods in the cold season, and the airport expects fewer cancellations, fewer diversions to other airports and fewer delays. General director David Ciceo called it a strategic investment in the reliability and predictability of flight operations. The airport says the landing-system project was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund.

The release does not set out eligibility rules for the gates beyond EU passengers on non-Schengen journeys, nor the visibility limits under which CAT III landings can be made. Passengers should follow staff instructions at border control and, on foggy days, check their flight status with their airline before travelling to the airport.