Financing and best using this infrastructure is crucial to meeting the increasing demand and reaching our sustainability goals.
Extensive research by ACI World and InterVISTAS has demonstrated the critical need to modernise global policy frameworks on airport charges towards ones that incentivise sustainability, efficiency, investment in infrastructure, and that generate a multiplier of socio‑economic benefits and connectivity. In consideration of the changed competitive landscape, it is critical that airport charging policies be focused on market needs and signals, and that the best way forward for the benefit of the travelling public and local communities, is through commercial agreements between airports and airlines.
Developing aviation’s workforce
Capacity building and meeting climate goals also entails building the expertise needed to sustain the aviation ecosystem. As many of you know, the faster than expected recovery this year came with growing pains – namely workforce challenges – experienced by many service industries but felt strongly by aviation, particularly during the northern hemisphere’s summer travel season.
ACI World has been focusing on this topic through cross-industry advocacy and the development of timely guidance for our members such as the development of the Evolution of the Airport Workforce Whitepaper. A key priority going forward will be for industry, regulators and educational institutes to work together to attract, retain and invest in a skilled workforce that cuts across all areas of the aviation ecosystem – this will be crucial for both the short- and long-term sustainability of air travel.
Evolving in-step with passenger expectations
As we fully recover from the effects of the pandemic, we are also attuned to the many changes it has brought to traveller behaviours and expectations, as well as the responsibility we have as service providers to listen and respond to these changes. For a third year running, ACI World released the ASQ 2022 Global Traveller Survey report that provides an in-depth update on the evolution of the passenger perspective and behaviours. The report reveals the highest intention to travel since the beginning of the pandemic and important areas to strengthen, such as heightened cleanliness and the implementation of contactless technology.
Many of you are aware of the Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) programme that supported airports during the pandemic, and which will continue to help airports in 2023. However, as we move into the future, we’ve widened the programme’s scope with the launch of the new Public Health & Safety Readiness Accreditation programme to help airports adapt their measures and operations to be better prepared for unforeseen crises. The assessment evaluates how aligned airports’ public health and safety measures are with the ACI Business Restart and Recovery guidelines and the ICAO Council’s Aviation Recovery Taskforce (CART) recommendations, along with other industry best practices.
And as more and more people take to the skies and with populations aging, we must all make accessibility and inclusion a priority – not because it makes business sense, but also because it is the right thing to do. In line with our advocacy on the matter, ACI World launched the new Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation programme as a continuous path of improvement for airports in the area of accessibility for passengers with disabilities. It was developed with inputs from airport members, industry partners and accessibility advocacy groups, and is based on existing international best practices and recommendations. The programme also received support from ICAO.
Looking forward
We had another challenging year but our numerous victories in 2022 – that go well beyond those mentioned here – are allowing us to begin the new year on the right foot. We have much to accomplish in the near- and long-term and the onus is on us, as an industry, to pave the way forward for the benefit of travellers and communities. At the risk of repeating myself, I would like to stress the importance of collaboration which has brought us up until this point. It is only by partnering with industry partners, regulators and other stakeholders that we can flourish into a sustainable aviation ecosystem. As always, ACI World will continue to work as a unifying voice for our members, the voice of the world’s airports. We look forward to continuing this in the year ahead.
Biography
Luis Felipe de Oliveira joined ACI World as Director General in June 2020, bringing with him vast experience in commercial and technical aviation.
He successfully led the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) between October 2017 and May 2020, promoting positive change in the organisation. Prior to joining ALTA, de Oliveira served as World Fuel Services’ Vice President Supply Development for Latin America and Caribbean where he was responsible for improving World Fuel’s aviation fuel business in the region.
For 10 years, de Oliveira served IATA, leading fuel and airport campaigns with governments, oil companies, fuel service providers and airports for the Americas, Africa and the Middle East regions, based in Switzerland. He also served 12 years at Shell with a focus on Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa and Europe, based in the Netherlands.