Connected airside PPE market seen reaching $2.67 billion by 2030

The connected airside personal protective equipment market is expanding as airports add IoT tools, real-time monitoring and automated compliance systems to improve safety and efficiency. The Business Research Company estimates the market will grow from $1.42 billion in 2025 to $2.67 billion by 2030, with North America leading and Asia-Pacific growing fastest.

Why it matters: - Airports are using connected PPE to cut safety risks on busy airside operations. - The market’s growth reflects a wider shift toward digital airport operations and automated workforce monitoring. - The technology can improve compliance, incident response and coordination at a time when traffic and labor costs are rising.

What happened: - The Business Research Company published a 2026 report on the connected airside personal protective equipment market. - The report estimates the market reached $1.42 billion in 2025. - The report projects the market will rise to $1.61 billion in 2026 and $2.67 billion by 2030. - The report forecasts a 13.2% CAGR from 2025 to 2026 and a 13.4% CAGR from 2026 to 2030. - The report includes coverage of Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, and the Middle East and Africa. - A free sample is available here. - The full report is available here.

The details: - Connected airside PPE includes safety gear for airport ground and airside staff with sensors, IoT connectivity and tracking features. - The equipment is designed to send real-time hazard alerts, improve situational awareness and support airport safety compliance. - The technology also helps stream safety and location data to airport operations centers. - The report ties early market growth to manual airside safety checks, limited use of IoT-enabled PPE, rising airside accidents, early digitization of ground operations and widespread use of conventional PPE. - The report says future growth will be driven by real-time workforce monitoring systems, wider adoption of IoT-enabled smart PPE, predictive safety analytics, airport digital twin platforms and stricter aviation safety regulations. - Airports Council International World reported in April 2023 that 93% of airports globally maintained or increased IT budgets in 2023, with total investments of about $6.8 billion. - The International Air Transport Association said global air traffic in revenue passenger kilometers rose 26.2% in July 2023 from a year earlier. - The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 4.4% increase in unit labor costs in the nonfarm business sector in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Between the lines: - The report points to a market where safety equipment is becoming part of airport software and data infrastructure, not just a protective layer for workers. - North America’s current lead suggests earlier adoption of airport digital tools, while Asia-Pacific’s growth outlook signals where the next wave of spending may concentrate. - Rising traffic and labor pressure are pushing airports toward systems that can automate monitoring instead of relying on manual oversight.

What's next: - The report expects stronger adoption of smart PPE as airports expand digital transformation programs. - Faster growth appears likely where airports are building integrated monitoring, analytics and digital twin systems. - The market’s regional center of gravity may shift as Asia-Pacific airports accelerate adoption during the forecast period.

The bottom line: - Connected airside PPE is moving from niche safety gear to a broader airport operations tool, and the market outlook points to sustained double-digit growth through 2030.