REGIONAL UPDATE

Communications manager, Samantha Solomon, rounds-up the latest news and developments from ACI Asia-Pacific.

ASIA-PACIFIC AIRPORTS IMPROVE LOCAL AIR QUALITY

Six airport members from Australia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong SAR and India received top honours in this year’s Green Airports Recognition programme for outstanding achievements in improving local air quality.

The submissions showcased innovative practices ranging from equipment power replacement, green plantation and the prevention of open fires to vehicle power replacement.

In a virtual ceremony, the fifth edition of the association’s annual recognition programme celebrated the following airports:

Over 25 million passengers per annum:

• Platinum – Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, India

• Gold – Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong SAR

• Silver – Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan City, Chinese Taipei

Less than 25 million passengers per annum:

• Platinum – Brisbane Airport, Brisbane, Australia

• Gold – Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, India

• Silver – Kaohsiung International Airport, Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei

“I applaud the recognised airports for their outstanding work towards improving air quality at and around their airports, playing their part in creating cleaner skies,” enthuses ACI Asia-Pacific’s director general, Stefano Baronci.

“As a positive side effect, many of these efforts also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation.”

Head to the ACI Asia-Pacific online Library where all the submissions are documented in the Green Airports Recognition 2021 publication.

ONLINE WEBINAR SERIES AND YOUTUBE CHANNEL

In the continued absence of in-person events, ACI Asia-Pacific launched an online webinar series in April to discuss the pressing issues facing the industry and to provide an opportunity for airports and World Business Partners to connect.

The eight-week webinar series – which concludes on June 22 – has to date covered topics ranging from biometrics, non-aeronautical revenues and travel confidence to sustainability, with Regional Board members, airport CEOs, technical experts and industry stakeholders from across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East coming together to offer advice during frank and informative conversations.

Don’t worry if you’ve missed them as all are available on our newly-launched YouTube channel.

WE SALUTE OUR YOUNG EXECUTIVE AWARD WINNER

We are pleased to announce that David Oatley, an airport planning manager from Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC), has won our Young Executive Award for 2021.

On being told of his success in the association’s signature Human Resources programme, Oatley modestly noted that the award should be shared across BAC.

“It is a huge honour to be recognised by ACI Asia-Pacific, although I must admit I don’t think it is so personal. It is actually a reflection on Brisbane Airport Corporation in its entirety,” he commented.

Oatley will receive a US$1,000 cash prize and a scholarship to the ACI World Global Training Airport Operations Diploma Programme. Brisbane Airport will receive an additional scholarship to any ACI Global Training Leadership and Management Professional Certificate course.

Now in its twelfth year, ACI Asia-Pacific received papers from across the region addressing the timely topic of ‘Passenger Facilitation under Pandemic’.

The panel of judges awarded two Honourable Mentions to Sagarika Madasu, manager, strategic planning group, GMR Hyderabad International Airport, India; and Daecheol Kim, manager, smart airport group, Incheon International Airport Corporation, Korea.

His Excellency, Ali Salim Al Midfa, chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority and second vice president of the ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Board said: “We applaud this year’s winner and Honourable Mentions who showed great judgement and a keen understanding of challenging circumstances and presented considered solutions.”

The papers of the winner and Honourable Mentions are posted on the ACI Asia-Pacific website to encourage the promulgation of innovative ideas and best practices among the Asia-Pacific and Middle East airport community.

WBP COMMUNITY GROWS WITH NEW MEMBERS

Industry suppliers ICF, Marsh, NAFFCO and Transoft Solutions have joined ACI Asia-Pacific’s World Business Partner (WBP) programme.

The WBP programme is a platform that provides opportunities for companies to connect and engage with ACI’s airport members as a means to meet business objectives and operational needs. WBP membership is open to companies doing business with, for and at airports, or in an airport-related industry.

Joining as an affiliate WBP, ICF leverages proven methodologies, best practice processes, and proprietary tools to advise airport management, terminal design firms and engineers, governments, regulators, civil aviation authorities and aviation trade bodies throughout the world. Their team includes experts in regulation, aeronautical and non-aeronautical revenues, operating expenditure, master planning and capital expenditure and financial modelling.

With offices located throughout Asia, Pacific and the Middle East, professional services firm Marsh has dedicated teams of aviation and aerospace specialists and extensive industry experience to navigate the unique risk-related challenges that airports face.

Clients choose Marsh to gain access to industry-leading intelligence, analytics, risk placement, claims to handle and risk consulting capabilities and have experienced Marsh’s depth of expertise in negotiating competitive pricing and cover for a company’s risk and insurance requirements.

New member NAFFCO provides cutting edge fire protection and hazard management tools for airports and the aviation industry. Founded in Dubai, UAE, and now present in over 100 countries, NAFFCO’s aviation products and services range from runway, fire and safety and airport passenger solutions.

Transoft Solutions is well known for its software solutions tailored for airport planners, engineers, architects and operators. Whether a project involves optimising aircraft parking at a gate, improving check-in procedures, designing a new ground marking, preparing an obstacle limitation report or assessing facility capacity or widening a taxiway fillet, Transoft Solutions has a solution to help complete the task confidently and accurately in a timeefficient manner.

ICAO ECO-TOOLKIT FEATURES MEMBER WATER MANAGEMENT PROJECTS

As part of its Eco-Airport Toolkit e-collection, ICAO recently released the Water Management at Airports publication.

The publication provides states with practical information for decision makers engaged in green airport planning and design.

The Water Management at Airports publication includes examples of action taken from the eligible submissions of ACI Asia-Pacific’s 2020 Green Airports Recognition programme:

• Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong SAR

• Kaohsiung International Airport, Chinese Taipei

• Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia

• Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, India

• Taoyuan International Airport, Chinese Taipei

The publication notes that “water resources are under increasing pressure due to growing demand, urbanisation and climate change. Some regions of the world are facing water scarcity and these situations are likely to multiply in the future.”