Asia-Pacific Airports - Issue 3, 2021

ASIA-PACIFIC AIRPORTS THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF ACI ASIA-PACIFIC

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Issue 3, 2021

Airport report: Bengaluru Kempegowda Special report: Cambodia’s cloud initiative Plus: Parking puzzle, Industry & WBP news www.aci-asiapac.aero

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CONTENTS 6. VIEW FROM THE TOP

Director General, Stefano Baronci, reflects on the importance of air travel and some key priorities and initiatives planned by ACI Asia-Pacific for the remainder of 2021.

8. INDUSTRY NEWS

A snapshot of the biggest news stories from across the region.

14. REGIONAL UPDATE

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

18. MAKING MILESTONES

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Bangalore International Airport Limited’s managing director and CEO, Hari Marar, tells Joe Bates more about the ambitions and development plans for India’s third busiest gateway.

24. SUSTAINABLE MISSION

Joffrey Maï explains how VINCI Airports is rolling out the group’s pioneering global environmental strategy in the Asia-Pacific region.

ASIA-PACIFIC AIRPORTS THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF ACI ASIA-PACIFIC

Asia-Pacific Airports www.aci-apa.com Editor Joe Bates joe@aci-apa.com +44 (0)1276 476582 Design, Layout & Production Michael Sturman michael@aci-apa.com

ACI Asia-Pacific Jeannie Wong Head of Communications and Events jeannie@aci-asiapac.aero +852 2989 8003 Published by Aviation Media Ltd PO BOX 448, Feltham, TW13 9EA, UK

Managing Director Jonathan Lee jonathan@aci-apa.com +44 (0)208 707 2743 Advertising Manager Jonathan Lee jonathan@aci-apa.com +44 (0)208 707 2743 Subscriptions subscriptions@aci-apa.com

Asia-Pacific Airports is published four times a year for the members of ACI Asia-Pacific.

The opinions and views expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect an ACI policy or position.

This publication is copyright of Aviation Media Ltd and should not be copied or stored without the express permission of the publisher.

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26. GREEN ENERGY

Anaerobic digestion can help airports become more environmentally friendly and reduce their carbon footprint, writes Jocelyne Bia.

29. INVESTING IN SUSTAINABILTY

A new ACI World study shows that airports will need to combine their capital expenditure with sustainability goals.

30. TAKING TO THE CLOUD

A new era of connectivity, innovation and opportunity has begun for Cambodia Airports, writes Laurence Erbs, general manager for Siem Reap International Airport.

APA Issue 3, 2021

34. PARKING PUZZLE

ACI Asia-Pacific’s Samantha Solomon explores the role of simulations in airplane parking projects before, during and post pandemic.

36. WBP NEWS

The latest news from ACI’s Asia-Pacific and global World Business Partners.

Asia-Pacific is proud to be the voice of airport operators in the fastest-growing regions of the world, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.

ACI Asia-Pacific key facts:

Our team of professionals works tirelessly to serve and lead airports in the region with the vision to shape the future of the aviation industry globally.

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AIRPORT MEMBERS

AFFILIATE AIRPORT MEMBERS

610

9

49

87

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

OPERATED AIRPORTS

Based in Hong Kong SAR, ACI Asia-Pacific is one of five regions of the only global airport trade organization, Airports Council International (ACI) World.

In 2019, ACI Asia-Pacific airports handled 3.8 billion passengers and 5.8 billion tonnes of cargo.

123

WORLD BUSINESS PARTNERS

COUNTRIES/ AREAS

5.8

BILLION TONNES CARGO

3.8

BILLION PASSENGERS

349 accredited airports 47

in North America

175

in Europe

59

in Asia-Pacific

46

in Latin America & Caribbean

Welcoming

4.2 billion passengers per year*

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ADVERT in Africa

in 75 countries across the world

or 46% of global air passenger traffic*

Visit our interactive results website www.airportCO2.org @AirportCO2 * Passenger traffic data refers to 2019

APA Issue 3, 2021

VIEW FROM THE TOP Director General, Stefano Baronci, reflects on the importance of air travel and some key priorities and initiatives planned by ACI Asia-Pacific for the remainder of 2021.

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fter 20 months of virtual calls, I finally got to meet the director generals of ACI’s other regions in person again this summer after flying to Rome for a meeting. It was great to fly again and even better to see everyone for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

Since the meeting was held in Rome, I also took the opportunity to visit my family in Italy. Like so many of you, I haven’t seen my loved ones since COVID turned our world upside down in early 2020.

The whole experience, despite being so common for frequent travellers like us, reminded me of how essential travelling and meeting people in person is to open minds and exchange knowledge.

The trip was also an opportunity to experience a special health protocol – the so-called ‘COVID-tested’ flight from Dubai to Rome – where I didn’t have to quarantine in the country of destination. I am proud to say that our association facilitated the implementation of this protocol through engagement, among others, with Dubai Airports and Aeroporti di Roma.

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However, the way back was not without complications.

The trip was fraught with new and changing regulations and ended with a hotel quarantine stay, a pandemic-prevention measure applied by more than 75% of the airports recently surveyed in our region.

SEPTEMBER SECURITY MONTH Looking ahead to the rest of the year, we want to highlight one of the top priorities in airport operations: security. Over the past decades, the landscape of aviation security has constantly changed with new security threats emerging and new, additional security measures being introduced. Indeed, the COVID-19 health crisis has brought new security challenges to the industry.

To raise awareness of the role and importance of airport security among the broader airport community and travelling public, ACI Asia-Pacific is launching September Security Month. Throughout the month, we will feature insights from ICAO, airport members and World Business Partners outlining different security topics, challenges and solutions. Ultimately, we want to stress the message that security is everybody’s responsibility.

This effort coincides with ICAO’s Year of Security Culture. To support this campaign, and to fill the gap of a lack of practical guidance materials on airport security culture, our Regional Aviation Security Committee developed a guidance document to help airports better understand what security culture is, and to provide practical guidance on how to promote and assess the security culture both within the airport organisation and with external stakeholders. The guide is available on our website. We hope you find it useful.

DISABLED AIRCRAFT AND GLOBAL REPORTING FORMAT In an initiative from the Regional Operational Safety Committee (ROSC), guidelines on how to remove disabled aircraft from the apron movement area are now available on our website for members.

The document has a simple set of guidelines for airport operators to quickly establish a plan for removing the disabled aircraft from the movement area and managing the process in a timely, safe and efficient manner.

Anticipating the swiftly-nearing November 4, 2021, deadline for the implementation of the new Global Reporting Format (GRF) for Runway Surface Conditions, the ROSC has also produced a Quick Start Guide to help airports understand and implement the GRF. Members can once again download the guide from our website.

LONG-TERM CARBON GOAL You will recall that in June, ACI announced a long-term net zero carbon goal for the airport sector and, by and large, the announcement was positively received throughout the region. In fact, from the Pacific Islands stretching across Asia and into the Middle East, airports of all sizes are having to adapt to and manage the effects of climate change.

The diverse geographic locations of airports across our region mean that they face many different challenges, incorporating everything from the effects of extreme temperatures to rising sea levels. Add on the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, and you don’t need me to tell you that airports’ business operations are often disrupted and adversely impacted by events out of their control.

On the heels of the announcement, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its first major review of the science of climate change

It cannot be understated that actions will need to be undertaken through close collaboration and partnerships with governments and industry, the development of appropriate sustainable business cases and on top of that, ultimately remove carbon with negative emissions technologies.

As a trade association, we will focus on what we do best, encourage best practices sharing. One such initiative is the trialling of an Airport Carbon Accreditation mentorship, where a mentor airport shares its experience in the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme and mentors a candidate airport to reach the desired level in the programme.

YOUNG EXECUTIVE AWARD With sustainability in mind, we have decided to make ‘Adapting Airports to a Changing Climate in the Region’ the topic for our Young Executive Award for 2022.

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The ROSC felt this was an important topic to address as a majority of airports in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East operate single runway facilities. In the event of a disabled aircraft stranded on the runway, prompt removal is critical for resumption of operations.

since its landmark report in 2013. It is now almost certain many places in the world, including those in our region, will be underwater before 2050. For our region, which also faces the highest expected traffic growth, this means that we will need to go the extra mile to achieve the net zero emission target before 2050.

The Young Executive Award is, of course, designed to encourage young talent in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East to contribute innovative solutions to current aviation industry issues.

While no one airport is left unaffected by climate change, some will be hit harder than others. As the CEO of Tahiti Airports, our Regional Board Director, Jean-Michel Ratron, knows only too well the daunting challenges faced by his airport and other island airports when it comes to climate change. With this vested interest in discovering practical solutions to tackle climate change, I am delighted that he accepted our invitation to chair this year’s panel of judges.

We encourage you to consider participating in this meaningful annual research paper competition.

From the earlier-mentioned survey on obstacles and remedies towards recovery, it is clear that our region will continue to face obstacles. By and large, 77% of states still have bans against foreign nationals in place and less than 25% of states are removing or reducing quarantine requirements.

It therefore remains imperative to maintain in close dialogue with states to support the sector’s recovery.

Stefano APA

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APA Issue 3, 2021

INDUSTRY NEWS

NEW AIRPORTS OPEN IN MALAYSIA AND CHINA Despite today’s tough operating environment, the number of airports in the Asia-Pacific region continues to grow with the recent opening of the new Mukah Airport (MKM) in Sarawak, Malaysia, and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) in China.

Mukah’s new $70 million gateway replaces the town’s former short take-off and landing (STOLport) airport, which opened in the 1960s and could only handle a maximum of 67 passengers at a time.

Today’s 3,120sqm terminal can accommodate up to 264,000 passengers per annum while its 1.5 kilometre long runway is initially equipped to handle turboprop and helicopter operations.

Operator, Malaysia Airports, notes that the runway could eventually be extended to allow it to welcome larger aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320.

Malaysia Airports’ CEO, Dato’ Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh, enthuses: “The opening of the new MKM will help to further boost the connectivity of the coastal town and its surrounding areas in Sarawak. MKM can now serve more people and strengthen the town’s prospects in contributing to the local economic development.”

Meanwhile, in China, the $11 billion Chengdu Tianfu International Airport in Sichuan Province

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(pictured above), opened for business in late June and perhaps fittingly, Sichuan Airlines operated the first ever departure from the gateway, flight 3U8001 to Beijing.

Located in Jianyang district, approximately 50km east of downtown Chengdu, TFU is expected to play an important role in the economic development of Sichuan Province and its 80 million inhabitants.

The new greenfield airport has two terminal buildings and three runways that will initially allow it to handle around 40 million passengers per year, although with future expansion that capacity could ultimately rise to around 90mppa.

Designed by Groupe ADP, the existing terminals cover more than 600,000sqm and boast four high speed railway connections and two metro lines via a large intermodal Ground Transportation Centre.

Groupe ADP’s deputy executive officer for development operations, Xavier Hürstel, comments: “The new Tianfu International Airport is a fine example of the expertise developed by Groupe ADP in large scale airport design, which is part of our DNA as an airport operator and comes from decades of experience gained in Paris and through our worldwide network.”

CHANGI COMPLETES AIRPORT HEALTH MEASURES AUDIT PROGRAMME Singapore Changi has become the first airport in the Asia-Pacific region to successfully complete the Airport Health Measures Audit Programme.

The Airport Health Measures Audit Programme – developed in partnership with Bureau Veritas – supports airports by addressing their specific risks and reassuring passengers through an on-site audit of their health measures.

Changi also successfully renewed its accreditation under ACI World’s Health Accreditation programme, demonstrating that the health measures in place at the airport are aligned with industry best practices.

“By being the first airport in the Asia-Pacific region to successfully complete the Airport Health Measures Audit Programme, Changi Airport has shown they are committed to ensuring the health and safety of passengers, staff and the general public,” says ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira.

ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR DELHI-NOIDA

ACI World notes that the SafeGuard label addresses specific risks to all places where people live and work, providing a continuous reference to travellers along their journey.

It means, says ACI, that teams have been effectively trained on hygiene best practices and assures that protective measures are properly set up and implemented in a transparent way.

For this partnership with ACI, Bureau Veritas has developed a dedicated checklist to cover all the processes of an airport, from management to operations which is deployed through an on-site audit.

Health, safety and air transport experts all contributed to the creation of this airport-specific checklist.

Airports that successfully complete the process will be able to display the SafeGuard label to communicate this achievement to passengers, staff and the public on this dedicated website.

Construction of Delhi’s new Noida International Airport is a step closer to reality following the closure of a $500 million loan from the State Bank of India to help finance the first phase development of the new gateway.

“We are pleased to confirm that over 1,300 of the 1,334 hectares of land required for the new airport has now been handed over to us. Our timeline is to deliver the airport three years after we have acquired all the land.

The airport will be built and operated by Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a special purpose vehicle set up for the job and 100% owned by Zurich Airport International.

“So, we are planning to complete work on Phase I of the airport development by the end of 2024 with an investment of $766 million.”

YIAPL CEO, Christoph Schnellmann, said: “The deal marks another crucial milestone for the project, bringing us closer to the start of construction.

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By successfully completing the audit, ACI World notes that Changi Airport has demonstrated compliance with a harmonised set of measures, aligned with the recommendations of national and international authorities, and can now display the associated SafeGuardTM label.

“This sets an example for the industry, showing how we can work together to support recovery and bring back the sustainable social and economic benefits of aviation we deliver to the communities we serve.”

Delhi Noida is initially expected to handle around 12 million passengers per annum before being expanded to accommodate 30mppa and eventually 70mppa by the end of the concession in 2061.

APA

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APA Issue 3, 2021

NEW TERMINAL PLANNED FOR SHENZHEN BAO’AN Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport in China has chosen the above design concept for its new 400,000sqm terminal, which will provide connections to existing and new transport infrastructure and be capable of handling up to 31 million passengers per annum.

At the heart of the concept is a 10,000sqm central garden space, the size of 40 tennis courts, which will act as “the frontdoor to Shenzhen”, and be connected to other parts of the airport through landscaped pedestrian routes.

According to architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP), to meet sustainable design objectives, the

building is designed to use natural light at a maximum level while controlling solar gain. Furthermore, the design also includes extensive vegetation, displacement ventilation and low water consumption.

RSHP Asia’s managing director, Ben Warner, said: “Winning the T4 competition with China Northeast Architectural Design & Research Institute [CNADRI], AECOM and Railway 4 is an important and substantial milestone in our work in China.

“Our design for the new terminal supports Shenzhen’s goal of becoming a leading centre for new technologies and the aspiration to be the world’s greenest city.”

INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION FOR KOREA AIRPORTS CORPORATION The first half of 2021 has been a busy one for Korea Airports Corporation (KAC), which has quietly gone about expanding in the international arena by undertaking a feasibility study for an airport development project in Laos and been awarded the concession to operate and develop Manta Airport in Ecuador.

KAC – which in 2019 won the bid to oversee and manage the construction of Peru’s new Chinchero International Airport which is due to open in 2024 – is investigating the options for the expansion of Luang Prabang International Airport in Laos.

While in Ecuador it has signed a 30-year concession to manage and grow Manta Airport, which will become

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KAC’s first directly operated international airport, as up until now it has only run 15 gateways in South Korea.

Manta is the largest port city in Ecuador, the self-proclaimed tuna capital of the world, and the nearest beach resort to the Galapagos Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

KAC CEO, Chang-wan Son, said: “This project is significant as Korea successfully paved the way into the global market for overseas airport operation, predominated by other leading airport operators.

“We will make continued efforts to enter into new global markets by promoting our expertise in airport operations and outstanding smart airport technologies to contribute to G2G co-operation and economic development.”

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APA Issue 3, 2021

PET FRIENDLY PERTH OPENS NEW ANIMAL RELIEF FACILITIES Passengers travelling with assistance animals at Perth Airport no longer have to worry about their pets having any little accidents or seeking a cool drink following the opening of animal relief areas in two (T1 and T4) of its four terminals.

The gateway’s chief commercial officer, Kate Holsgrove, enthuses: “We’re continually looking at opportunities to improve access for people travelling with a disability.”

“The new facilities are part of our commitment to making our airport more accessible for all.

“The locations have been chosen to allow quick and easy access for passengers and their animals, particularly while waiting on baggage or following the check-in process.”

The gateway decided to open the new facilities on the advice of the Perth Airport Access and Inclusion Customer Reference Group.

ROBOTS ON DUTY

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Hong Kong International Airport’s largest independent cargo handler, Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl), has taken its first step into robotics with the opening of a new Automated Parts Store (APS) for its giant container and loose cargo handling systems.

Chief executive, Wilson Kwong, notes: “The APS robot will immediately save more than 1,500 man-hours per annum, while a mobile app that enables technicians to order spare parts from any location will also be introduced in due course, further improving our efficiency.”

The new APS features an automated robot that upon activation by a technician takes the shortest route to find and retrieve parts stored in any of 200 multi-compartment bins that it manages.

Hactl’s automated Container Storage System (CSS) has 11 levels, is 260 metres long and features a giant unit load device (ULD) racking system that holds 3,500 units and stores and retrieves up to 8,000 tonnes of air cargo per day.

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REGIONAL UPDATE

APA Issue 3, 2021

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

BE PART OF THE CLIMATE CHANGE SOLUTION From the Pacific Islands stretching across Asia and into the Middle East, airports of all sizes are having to adapt to and manage the effects of climate change.

Whether this means coping with the effects of extreme temperatures or rising sea levels, the threat of climate change to the aviation industry, and Asia-Pacific’s airports, is very real. Add on the increased frequency and intensity of weather systems, airports’ business operations are already often disrupted and adversely impacted.

The competition’s winner will receive a cash award of US$1,000 and a scholarship for the Airport Operations Diploma programme.

Taking measures to ensure that airports are less vulnerability to such disruptive climate conditions has become necessary to ensure business continuity, sustainability, and evolving operational needs.

And as an incentive to airports to nominate a candidate, ACI Asia-Pacific is offering the airport of the winning candidate an additional scholarship to any ACI Global Training Leadership and Management Professional Certificate Course, virtual or classroom (excluding travel fees).

This year, the Young Executive Award, an annual research paper competition, is calling on the creativity of young airport executives to contribute innovative solutions to the important topic, ‘Adapting Airports to

Papers are due on or before Friday, December 3, 2021, for assessment by a distinguished panel of judges. The programme details and the application form are now available on our website.

AVIATION SECURITY MANUAL AMENDED ACI has been working with policymakers to increase the influence of airports in the decision to adopt One-stop Security (OSS) between states.

As a result of these advocacy efforts at regional and global level, some important – and favourable to airports – amendments have been made to ICAO’s Aviation Security Manual (Doc 8973).

More specifically, a number of recommendations have been added to chapter 11.10 concerning the

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a Changing Climate in the Region’.

“recognition of equivalence of security measures – one-stop security”.

Airport members are advised to take note of these new amendments and assess if they could be of help in advancing the development of OSS at national level.

We encourage members to download the free-of-charge One-stop Security Toolkit, developed by ACI World to assist airports on the implementation of OSS.

ACI ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONAL BOARD PRESIDENT Seow Hiang Lee*

(Changi Airport Group Pte Ltd, Singapore)

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Emmanuel Menanteau

(Cambodia Airports, Cambodia)

SECOND VICE PRESIDENTS H.E. Ali Salim Al Midfa SGK Kishore*

SIMPLE STEPS TO REMOVE DISABLED AIRCRAFT

A simple set of guidelines to quickly establish a plan for removing a disabled aircraft from active areas of the airfield is now available to ACI Asia-Pacific members.

With the majority of airports in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East operating single runway facilities, in the event of a disabled aircraft stranded on the runway, prompt removal is critical for the resumption of operations.

The guidelines contain key information to be included in the plan such as the roles and responsibilities of parties involved; the steps of removing a disabled aircraft from site survey; site preparation; and the recovery of the aircraft and repair of any damaged facilities before reopening of the runway.

NEW WORLD BUSINESS PARTNERS

ACI Asia-Pacific continues to gain new World Business Partners (WBP), with four new members joining in the last quarter – ALG, Veovo, Skyports and ADB SAFEGATE. ALG is an international consulting firm with 30 years of experience providing advisory services in transportation, infrastructure, and logistics.

Veovo, Skyports and ADB SAFEGATE have all joined as Affiliate World Business Partners. Veovo is a leading technology provider for multi-modal passenger flow, airport management and revenue maximisation. Skyports is a developer and operator of landing infrastructure for the electric air taxi revolution.

ADB SAFEGATE has a 100-year history of serving more than 2,500 airports/airbases across 175 countries, providing integrated solutions that raise efficiency, improve safety, boost environmental sustainability, and reduce operational costs for airports.

(GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited, India)

SECRETARY-TREASURER Sheikh Aimen bin Ahmed Al Hosni*

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid**

(Oman Airports Management Company, Oman)

(GMR Airports Limited, India)

REGIONAL BOARD DIRECTORS Mohamed Yousif Al-Binfalah*

Jean-Michel Ratron

Nicolas Claude

Nitinai Sirismatthakarn*

Geoff Culbert*

Chang Wan Son

(Bahrain Airport Company SPC, Bahrain)

(Airport International Group, Jordan)

(Sydney Airport, Australia)

Jerry Dann

(Aeroport de Tahiti, French Polynesia)

(Airports of Thailand Public Co Ltd, Thailand)

(Korea Airports Corporation, Republic of Korea)

(Taoyuan International Airport Corporation Ltd, Chinese Taipei)

Akihiko Tamura*

Gert-Jan de Graaff

Yoshiyuki Yamaya

(Brisbane Airport Corporation PTY Limited, Australia)

Videh Kumar Jaipuriar

(Delhi International Airport Ltd, India)

Fred Lam*

(Airport Authority Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR)

Dato’ Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh

(Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad, Malaysia)

Quoc Phuong Nguyen (Airports Corporation of Vietnam, Vietnam)

Yun Qin

(Shanghai Airport Authority, China)

www.aci-apa.com

The newly-released Guidelines on Disabled Aircraft Removal document is a simple set of guidelines for airport operators to quickly establish a plan for removing the disabled aircraft from the movement area and managing the process in a timely, safe and efficient manner.

(Sharjah Airport Authority, UAE)

(Narita International Airport Corporation, Japan)

(Kansai Airports, Japan)

Kejian Zhang

(Guangdong Airport Authority, China)

WBP REPRESENTATIVE Greg Fordham (Airbiz Aviation Strategies Pty Ltd, Australia)

SPECIAL ADVISORS Suleiman Al Bassam

(General Authority of Civil Aviation, Saudi Arabia)

Xue Song Liu*

(Beijing Capital International Airport Co Ltd, China)

* WGB member **Regional Advisor on WGB

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AIRPORT AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP RISING

APA Issue 3, 2021

ACI Asia-Pacific now represents 123 members operating 610 airports in 49 countries and territories following the addition of the operators of Gan International Airport in the Maldives, Hamilton Airport in New Zealand, and Van Don International Airport in Vietnam.

Addu International Airport Pvt Ltd, established in 2012, is the operator for Gan International Airport in the Maldives.

Hamilton Airport operator, Waikato Regional Airport Limited, becomes New Zealand’s eighth member of ACI Asia-Pacific.

While Van Don International Airport, opened in December 2018 and located close to the popular tourist destination of Ha Long Bay, is the first privately-operated airport in Vietnam.

ACI Asia-Pacific is also pleased to announce that the Institute of Air Transport, a unit of the China Academy of Civil Aviation Science and Technology, has joined as an associate member.

“Our association’s advocacy work and portfolio of safety, security, health, and environment programmes and extensive repository of content and guidance material hold wide appeal to airports and organisations across the region who are ramping up for post-pandemic sustainable growth,” said Stefano Baronci, director general of ACI Asia-Pacific. “We warmly welcome our new airport and associate members to the ACI Asia-Pacific family.”

GLOBAL REPORTING QUICK START GUIDE With the November 4, 2021, implementation of the new Global Reporting Format for Runway Surface Conditions fast approaching, the Regional Operational Safety Committee has developed a Quick Start Guide on Global Reporting Format.

The Quick Start Guide is exclusively available to ACI Asia-Pacific members.

The main purpose of the Quick Start Guide is to help airports quickly understand and implement the GRF before referring to other detailed and technical documents on the subject.

The Quick Start Guide starts with on the background of the new methodology followed by an explanation of the assignment of the runway condition code.

Finally, two worksheets are provided for airports to come up with the Runway Conditions Report and for filling out observations made on the runway for submission to air traffic control.

APA

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AIRPORT ECONOMICS* AT A GLANCE

in US$

*

GLOBAL INDUSTRY REVENUES

$180.9 billion

GLOBAL RETURN on invested capital

6.6% GLOBAL AERONAUTICAL REVENUES per passenger

54.0% Aeronautical

40.2%

5.7%

Non-aeronautical Non-operating

GLOBAL NON-AERONAUTICAL REVENUES per passenger

TOTAL COST per passenger

$9.99 $7.44

ADVERT

$14.11

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE per passenger

$7.13

DISTRIBUTION OF NON-AERONAUTICAL REVENUES by key source STORE

Retail concessions

26.4%

Car parking

20.9%

PUBLICATIONS@ACI.AERO

Property and real estate

15.2%

ACI.AERO/KPI21

Others

37.5%

Others include car rentals, food and beverage, advertising and more.

APA Issue 3, 2021

MAKING MILESTONES Bangalore International Airport Limited’s managing director and CEO, Hari Marar, tells Joe Bates more about the ambitions and development plans for India’s third busiest gateway.

B

engaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport has been making milestones since it opened, and the desire to be the best airport in India means that this trend is unlikely to stop over the coming decades.

It became the first new greenfield airport in India for more than half a century and the first ever to be established under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model when it opened for business on May 24, 2008.

Indeed, operator, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) arguably set the tone for things to come in India by showing just what could be achieved by private investors working in partnership with the state, Airports Authority of India (AAI) and other shareholders.

Upon opening, the airport boasted a 74,000sqm terminal, a single runway and, at the time, the most advanced technology at an Indian airport that equipped it to handle up to 12 million passengers per annum.

Expansions to the terminal in 2010-2012, and the opening of a second runway in late 2019 – each project triggered by rising traffic volumes – means that Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) now has a single terminal building and two parallel runways

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capable of handling up to 35 million passengers per annum and 90 aircraft movements per hour.

The extra capacity was certainly needed as BLR was one of the world’s fastest growing airports in 2018 and handled a record 33.65 million passengers in 2019.

And BIAL is certainly far from finished in terms of enhancing the airport’s existing facilities and adding new ones as the ongoing construction of its new $1.8 billion Terminal 2 clearly demonstrates.

NEW TERMINAL 2 Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and being built by Larsen & Toubro, BIAL is confident that the new Terminal 2 will be a game changer for BLR in terms of enhancing its operational efficiency, capacity and the award-winning levels of customer service it is able to offer passengers.

BIAL’s managing director and CEO, Hari Marar, says: “Our vision is to make BLR the new ‘Gateway to India’, and to achieve this we are investing around $1.8 billion on infrastructure that will initially increase our capacity to 55 million passengers per annum in the short to medium-term.

“We are in the process of constructing Terminal 2 and are scheduled to commence operations at the facility in 2022.”

Its initial design capacity of 25mppa also effectively means that Bengaluru Kempegowda will be capable of handling up to 55 million passengers annually across its two terminals.

A planned 200,000sqm expansion of Terminal 2 in the second phase of the facility’s development will raise the airport’s capacity to 75mppa.

In terms of its IT systems, BIAL insists that its investment in state-of-the-art technology as part of “a comprehensive digital transformation programme” started a few years ago will ensure that T2 delivers an enhanced customer experience and improved operational efficiency while at the same time creating new revenue generating opportunities for the airport.

TRAFFIC AND ROUTE NETWORK Like most major airports across the globe, BLR didn’t escape last year’s COVID-19 caused downturn in traffic, experiencing a 66% decline in passenger numbers and a 12.7% drop in cargo volumes as 10.91 million passengers and 326,372 tonnes of freight passed through its facilities in 2020.

BIAL notes that pre-COVID, Bengaluru Kempegowda enjoyed a healthy traffic mix, with domestic destinations accounting for 86% of its passengers and international

flights for around 14%, with the most popular routes being to the Indian cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata and the international destinations of Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Colombo.

COVID related travel restrictions meant that this market share inevitably changed in 2020, and although BLR has continued to witness the launch of new international services (Addis Ababa, Amsterdam, San Francisco and Tokyo Narita) and see the return of others grounded during the pandemic, the traffic mix today is more like 96% domestic and 4% international.

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Marar notes that BIAL wants the new the 255,000 squaremetre T2 to be a leader in its use and adoption of new technology; have so many ‘green’ areas that it is viewed almost as a terminal in a garden; be known for its environmental and ecological stewardship; and be a facility that celebrates and showcases the rich heritage and culture of the Indian state of Karnataka.

However, with a handful of new international routes expected to be introduced later this year as aviation continues to bounce back from the pandemic – American Airlines is due to commence a Bengaluru-Seattle service in November; United Airlines will launch flights to San Francisco in December; and Lufthansa is expected to start a Bengaluru-Munich service before the end of the year – BIAL is confident that the figures will slowly begin to return to pre-COVID levels over the next 12 to 24 months.

In 2019, the biggest airlines at the airport in terms of market share were IndiGo, AirAsia India, SpiceJet, GoAir and Air India, which between them accounted for 94% of all domestic traffic.

The top five carriers internationally were Emirates, IndiGo, Air India, Etihad and Singapore Airlines, which between them handled 48% of BLR’s international traffic.

Pre-COVID, BIAL predicted that the airport would be handling around 55 to 65 million passengers per annum by 2025, and although these figures might seem optimistic now, it remains positive about the future.

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APA Issue 3, 2021

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“We believe that traffic will eventually recover. However, the pace of recovery will depend on factors such as a possible third wave [in India], rate of transmission and the pace of vaccination amongst other factors,” says Marar.

“In the longer-term, we believe that BLR will handle around 90 to 100 million passengers per annum across the airport campus.”

SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP BIAL prides itself in the fact that it is a global leader when it comes to its sustainability efforts and determination to limit the airport’s impact on the environment.

BLR, for example, was one of the first airports in Asia to gain Level 3+ neutrality status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, and it is actively working to achieve Level 4+ accreditation by the end of its FY2021-2022.

Other notable successes have included Bengaluru Kempegowda gaining net energy neutral status in BIAL’s FY2020/2021; banning the sale of single-use plastics at its F&B outlets; numerous landscaping and afforestation drives; and commitment to recycling 100% of all waste produced at the airport.

And earlier this year, BLR achieved a major milestone on its sustainability journey by becoming 100% water positive, effectively meaning that BLR treats and recycles more water than it consumes, despite requiring millions of litres of water daily for the maintenance of infrastructure and operations.

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Marar, says: “We accomplished this by consuming water responsibly, re-using, recycling and replenishing water bodies.

“At BIAL, our holistic sustainability efforts are not just focused on the airport, but also on the community at large where we installed rooftop rainwater harvesting units in five villages to provide safe drinking water for the community, benefiting more than 300 families. We hope our actions will inspire others in the region to follow suit.”

A new 2.5 million litres capacity per day sewage treatment plant has certainly helped its water recycling efforts as it ensures that treated wastewater can be re-used for landscape irrigation, ventilation and air conditioning and firefighting requirements.

Talking about achieving net energy neutral status in FY2020-21, Marar notes that as a result of energy conservation, BLR saved enough energy to power nearly 9,000 homes for a month.

“As we expand our operations, we aim to remain the flagbearer of sustainable operations,” enthuses Marar.

“We have put various measures in place to reduce BLR’s carbon footprint and protect our environment.

Energy security is a very important aspect of our business as it is one of the key indicators to assess our sustainability levels.”

For the record, BIAL’s energy management initiative is focused on achieving carbon neutrality through the use of renewable, green and clean energy.

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On-site solar installations as well as Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) from solar and wind energy suppliers have helped Kempegowda achieve energy neutral status since December 2020, but Marar is quick to point out that BIAL isn’t going to stop here.

“As the passenger volumes continue to grow, airports must grow beyond from being a mere place for arriving and departing passengers. Customer expectations have changed dramatically over the past decade and customers have become far more discerning.

“We have multiple measures in place to make the airport more environmentally efficient, with sustainability being the key pillar for all its operations to ensure the integrity of its economic viability, operational excellence and conservation of natural resources,” he says.

“Today’s passengers expect excellence and personalisation as standard, and airports must constantly bring in innovation and reinvent themselves to meet the evolving needs of passengers.”

CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE Bengaluru Kempegowda and BIAL are serial winners in ACI’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) customer excellence awards, being the only winner of the global Arrivals Award since its introduction and last year finishing joint top with Beijing Daxing for the Best Airport in the Asia-Pacific region handling between 25-40 million passengers per annum.

BIAL believes that the numerous hygiene and sanitation measures, backed with cutting edge-technology that ensured safe and often contactless airport experiences for passengers, proved instrumental to its ASQ success in 2020.

“Our vision is to enable journeys, create experiences and touch lives as a new gateway to India and this guides us in everything we do,” says Marar.

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Marar also believes that the retail, entertainment, and dining experiences available at BLR are among the best found at any airport in the world today, and have had a hugely positive impact on its passenger appeal.

Since 2019, these facilities have included an innovative retail and F&B plaza called The Quad by BLR, whose kerbside location and over 20 outlets spread across four zones (Retail, F&B, Flea Market and the Arena) have helped create a unique space and vibe that engages visitors.

Such has been BLR’s success in the ASQ programme over the years that it was recently inducted into ACI World’s prestigious Director General’s Roll of Excellence for consistently delivering superior customer service.

Speaking at the time, Marar said: “BLR is honoured to be inducted into the ACI Director General’s Roll of Excellence. I thank our passengers for the trust and

And the airport continues to strive to do better, in early September awarding the Plaza Premium Group (PPG) a 10-year concession to carry out a host of passenger service activities at Bengaluru Kempegowda (see page 36).

IT INNOVATION When BLR opened it boasted a range of state-of-the-art IT systems rarely seen in India before and the airport has since strived to lead from the front when it comes to the testing and implementation of new technologies.

This philosophy meant that it was able to introduce a number of tech-driven innovations to help combat COVID and improve the passenger experience during the early days of the pandemic.

These included introducing contactless processing; opening a virtual information desk; implementing a new queue management system by Xovis; expanding the use of self-bag drop kiosks; opening smart security lanes with automated tray retrieval technology; and introducing smart washrooms.

While BIAL recently announced a ten-year partnership with IBM and Kyndryl to provide it with “best of breed” IT

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confidence that they have in the airport. I would like to dedicate this recognition to the airport community, who came together to ensure seamless operations during these challenging times.”

solutions that will help transform the travel experience for passengers at BLR. BIAL notes that as one of the fastest-growing airports in the world, BLR needs nimble, scalable and cost-competitive technology and an operations environment that can increase its agility and operational flexibility to handle rising passenger numbers in the years ahead.

As a result, BIAL will work with IBM Global Business Services, IBM hybrid cloud capabilities and Kyndryl to create a platform that will take Kempegowda’s IT offerings to the next level at the same time as allowing the airport operator to improve employee productivity, better utilise its IT assets and reduce costs through streamlined inventory control and improved incident management.

“We are excited to partner with IBM as part of our vision to make BLR India’s first truly ‘smart airport’. In other words, a digitalised, seamlessly connected, intuitive airport,” says Marar.

“BIAL is a pioneer and leader of change in the Indian aviation industry. Our aim is to introduce more digitally advanced, innovative services and products at BLR to ensure that our passengers and business partners have the advantage of future forward technologies, in a seamless operating environment.”

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APA Issue 3, 2021

SUSTAINABLE MISSION Joffrey Maï explains how VINCI Airports is rolling out the group’s pioneering global environmental strategy in the Asia-Pacific region.

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INCI Airports is leveraging its position as one of the world’s biggest airport operators to enhance the environmental performance of its AsiaPacific gateways and help set the sustainability bar for airports across the globe.

Asia, of course, has a special meaning for us as it is where we took our first steps in the airport concessions industry in 1995 by taking over responsibility for operating and developing Cambodia’s Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville airports.

We have since added Kansai international, Osaka and Kobe airports in Japan, so now operate six airports in the region that handled a total of 63.4 million passengers between them in 2019.

This long-term presence has given us the experience and capacity to genuinely understand the changing socioeconomic and environmental issues in Asia.

And with the World Economic Forum estimating that the number of middle-class people across the region will grow from 2 billion now to 3.5 billion in 2030, Asia faces a long-term mobility demand, which will require efficient and

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quality infrastructure while accelerating the path towards environmental sustainability.

In 2016, VINCI Airports became the first global airport operator to launch an international environmental action plan for its entire network. And just five years after this major decision, all our airports have committed to a net zero carbon transition.

In Japan, Osaka and Kansai international airports were the first in Japan to achieve Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) Level 2 in 2016 and upgraded to Level 3 in 2018.

Kobe airport also achieved ACA Level 2 in 2018.

In doing so, operator, Kansai Airports, reduced its CO2 emissions by 11% between FY2016 and FY2019 and will continue to upgrade its ACA. While in 2020, despite the COVID-19 crisis, all our Cambodian airports reached Level 2 for their CO2 emissions scope 1 and 2 reduction.

This positive dynamic is the result of a global environmental action plan we have been implementing in Asia for the past five years, with two major focuses. The desire to improve our airports’ environmental performance and bring solutions to our clients and stakeholders, beyond our perimeter.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE At Kansai international Airport, we have been constantly improving the operational efficiency of equipment, solar and water treatment plants and infrastructure based on an energy dashboard that relies on a building energy management system (BEMS). The solution analyses data from the airport’s air conditioning and heating systems in order to make energy savings.

While in Cambodia in December 2020, our teams completed a project to replace the runway lights at our airports with more efficient and less consuming LED lights, which will reduce their respective airfield electricity costs by 20% to 25% per annum.

Still in Cambodia, back in 2016, we invested in building wastewater treatment plants at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports, which reduced the load on the city’s own treatment station.

Indeed, by using the latest-generation technologies, sludge from the wastewater treatment process is recycled into fertilizer, which is provided to communities surrounding the airports.

The process enables us to meet 50% of the airport’s potable water demand, and in the unlikely event that the municipal water supply is cut off due to a disaster, the facility will provide not only a reliable lifeline for the airport but also emergency drinking water to residents in the surrounding communities.

So, as you can see, the wastewater treatment plants at our airports are a key component of our strategy built around turning environmental challenges into opportunities.

We are also big fans of renewable energy, and in January 2020, installed 4,180 solar panels on the roof of Terminal 2 at Kansai International Airport in a bid to reduce the airport’s energy costs and save around 600 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

Finally, yet just as importantly, we have replaced 300 vehicles with zero-emission equivalents across our three Japanese airports, effectively meaning that petrol and diesel-powered trucks, buses and other support vehicles have been replaced by electric vehicles.

PIONEERS FOR OUR ECO-SYSTEM The second step in our plan to encourage the decarbonisation of the aviation industry is to encourage stakeholders such as the airlines, services providers and passengers to commit to lowering their carbon footprint.

In other words, our approach aims at acting not only on Scope 1 and 2, but also as a driver of change on Scope 3.

At Phnom Penh International Airport in May 2021, for instance, we installed Fixed Electrical Ground Power (FEGP) and Pre-Conditioned Air (PCA) units at aircraft parking bays, effectively making noisy, CO2 polluting Auxiliary Power Units (APU) redundant.

We also believe that involving passengers in our environmental journey is important and, in line with this strategy, we have installed electric charging and hydrogen stations at our three Japanese airports as well as a new rapid charger at Osaka Airport to promote the use of zero-emissions vehicles.

THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX We are confident that our extensive global airport network – VINCI Airports operates or has a major interest in 45 airports in 12 countries across the world – will provide a constant source of knowledge and fresh ideas on our journey to zero-emission airports in Asia.

Our next major goal will be to halve our carbon emissions and the water consumption by passengers in our terminals by 2030.

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Similarly, in 2019 Osaka Airport became the first major Japanese airport to feature a groundwater treatment facility that extracts groundwater and purifies it by use of biofilters and osmosis membranes.

We are, for example, already working in close partnership with the airlines to reduce their energy consumption during the parking process.

We have also not forgotten about the need to encourage airlines to use more environmentally-friendly aircraft at our airports.

As a result, VINCI Airports is set to become the first airport operator in the region to introduce a sliding scale of airport charges for aircraft based on their environmental performance. This effectively means that operators of the most polluting aircraft will pay more than those using more modern low-emission aircraft.

Next on the agenda are plans to emulate the success of the ‘carbon sink’ at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport in France in Cambodia.

A carbon sink is any reservoir, natural or otherwise, that accumulates and stores carbon-containing chemical compounds for an indefinite period, subsequently lowering the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.

We will strive to capitalise on Cambodia’s forestry potential to create Asia’s first network of carbon sinked airports. If successful, the carbon sinks will absorb the airports’ residual emissions that will help them to achieve zero net emissions.

Pragmatism is at the heart of our sustainability efforts and decarbonisation strategy, and our actions have led to VINCI Airports becoming a driver of transformation in Asia and across the world.

APA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Joffrey Mai is the environment and sustainability director of VINCI Concessions.

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APA Issue 3, 2021

GREEN ENERGY Anaerobic digestion can help airports become more environmentally friendly and reduce their carbon footprint, writes Jocelyne Bia.

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efore the coronavirus outbreak stole the headlines, the main concern for people and governments around the world was the climate emergency and the need for urgent action.

Like many other industries, the aviation sector was under pressure to reduce its carbon footprint. Airlines were asked to abide by the ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (Corsia), whilst on the ground, airports sought to make their operations more sustainable. The UK aviation industry had set the tone by establishing a Net Zero by 2050 target for itself.

Then COVID-19 hit, and most global air travel all but stopped overnight, dealing the aviation industry a devastating economic blow.

As countries prepare for a post COVID-19 recovery, two schools of thought are emerging. On one side are those who want to deliver immediate stimulus packages to put businesses back on their feet, irrespective of the climate change agenda. On the other are those who want to seize the opportunity to ‘build back better’, creating a greener global economy.

Indeed, the UN, EU, International Energy Agency, leading economists such as Joseph Stiglitz and Lord Nicholas Stern, and even businesses have been calling for world

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governments to embed decarbonisation and renewables into their plans to kick-start the economy whilst still fulfilling their Paris Agreement commitments.

For the aviation sector, and particularly airports, getting back to business while delivering sustainability is not incompatible. There are pre-pandemic examples of airports successfully adapting their operations to implement good sustainability practice.

One technology that helps them achieve their greening ambition is anaerobic digestion (AD). By treating food and other organic waste and transforming it into biogas, AD can help establish a low carbon circular economy within the airport, saving both money and greenhouse gases emissions.

HOW ANAEROBIC DIGESTION WORKS Anaerobic digestion is the natural breakdown of organic matter, in the absence of oxygen, which takes place in a plant called a digester. This process generates biogas and a bio-fertiliser called digestate.

The ‘green gas’ generated by the AD process can be used for electricity and power or upgraded into biomethane, sometimes called renewable natural gas (see gaphic).

Biomethane is a direct replacement for fossil natural gas, so it is already injected into the gas grid for heat or used

ideally placed to reap the benefits of the circularity of the AD process and its ability to cut their carbon footprint.

For every 1,000 tonnes of food waste treated through AD, over 1,100MWh of renewable energy can be generated – the equivalent energy of over 107,000 litres of diesel – and 475 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions are prevented.

Heathrow, for example, which had already set itself a net zero waste policy, is sending some of its food waste to AD, and has just entered a partnership with Engie to use biomethane across all its terminals until 2022.

A key benefit of AD treatment is that the organic waste that would otherwise emit harmful gases in landfill or through incineration are instead recycled into green resources for hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as heat, transport, waste management and agriculture.

AD is a mature, readily available technology that stands first in the waste management hierarchy to treat waste that cannot be reduced or reused – ahead of composting and energy recovery.

SUSTAINABLE AIRPORTS ACI defines airport sustainability as: “A holistic approach to managing an airport so as to ensure the integrity of the economic viability, operational efficiency, natural resource conservation, and social responsibility of the airport”.

This definition has been evolving as focus moves from reducing noise, air and light pollution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Even before COVID-19, many airports had made sustainability pledges and understood the benefits of integrating AD and biogas into their processes. As both generators of significant volumes of food waste and heavy users of energy, they are

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as a transport fuel for heavy duty vehicles such as lorries, buses and, in the near future, tractors.

Meanwhile the Airport Authority of Hong Kong has been collecting food waste for recycling since 2003 – most of it being sent for conversion into biogas. Its collection network now covers 17 airport business partners including restaurants and lounges operating in terminal buildings, as well as airline catering companies, hotels and cargo terminals.

And in North America and Europe airports affected by wintry conditions, biogas-powered snow equipment is used to clear the runways.

These are still small steps towards integrating AD and biogas into an airport’s operations, but they demonstrate the potential of the technology to contribute to the industry’s sustainability agenda.

As world governments look at green answers to the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, the aviation industry can potentially look to AD as an additional solution to emerge back from the crisis whilst still adhering to its green ambition.

APA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jocelyne Bia is a senior communications consultant with the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association.

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INVESTING IN SUSTAINABILTY A new ACI World study shows that airports will need to combine their capital expenditure with sustainability goals.

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t might not seem like a priority right now, but ACI World has revealed that more than $2.4 trillion will have to be spent on enhancing the infrastructure of the world’s airports by 2040 in order to meet future demand.

The report forecasts a capital need of $1.3 trillion for Asia-Pacific airports, accounting for 54% of the global requirement. Middle East airports will need $151 billion in capital expenditure, or 6% of the global requirement.

The projections incorporate the need to align capacity expansion projects with sustainability and decarbonisation goals.

To respond to the region’s rapid passenger growth, about 44% of the 2021–2040 Asia-Pacific regional airport capital expenditure or $580 million is forecasted to be allocated to the construction of greenfield airports.

In the Middle East, greenfield airport projects are expected to comprise around 36%, or $54 billion, of total regional airport capital expenditure.

“Failure to address the capacity needs to meet the 2040 passenger demand will have profound socio-economic consequences, in terms of job and GDP losses but also congestion and damage to the environment,” says Stefano Baronci, director general of ACI Asia-Pacific.

While some airports have deferred or suspended capital investments over the course of the pandemic, many in major and fast-developing aviation markets such as

Airports have long taken a leadership role in addressing, minimising, and mitigating the environmental impacts of aviation. The report shows it takes an average of six years to achieve carbon neutral accreditation under the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.

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The size of the task ahead – which will include modernising existing facilities as well as building new terminals, runways and new airports – is outlined in the association’s report, The Global Outlook of Airport Capital Expenditure – Meeting Sustainable Development Goals and Future Air Travel Demand.

Australia, China, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam have continued their capital expenditure plans given the long-term horizon that goes well beyond the potential duration of the crisis.

To realise the ambitious pathways to net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the stated long-term carbon goal of ACI member airports, additional capital investment decisions by airports, such as investment in energy-efficient infrastructure and retrofitting, low emissions/electric vehicles and equipment and construction of onsite or offsite renewable energy facilities, might be required.

“For many airports in Asia and the Middle East, planning for the future means being ready to welcome the passengers of the future while also investing today for a more sustainable infrastructure with a diminished carbon footprint,” notes Baronci.

“Historical data shows that airports that achieved carbon neutrality status, invested an average of 12% more capital. By making additional investments now to reduce energy consumption and convert to zero carbon emissions sources, airports will position themselves as sustainable stewards for the future.”

The report was funded by Hamad International Airport (DOH), whose chief operating officer, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, notes: “The longevity of the global aviation industry can be significantly enhanced by investing in sustainable aviation infrastructure and developing clear sustainability goals.”

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APA Issue 3, 2021

TAKING TO THE CLOUD A new era of connectivity, innovation and opportunity has begun for Cambodia Airports, writes Laurence Erbs, general manager for Siem Reap International Airport.

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ecently, I joined Cambodia Airports and found that, like many others, we were beginning the process of further modernising by moving to the cloud. The decision to continue this forwardlooking project even after the COVID-19 pandemic hit was obvious, and it quickly became apparent why the decision was made.

At the outset of the project, the objective was clear – replacing end-of-life IT infrastructure with a new generation of cloud computing services that would help our airports scale up to meet increasing demand.

Thanks to their locations, our three airports in Cambodia serve a vast array of international travellers. Siem Reap, for example, is home to the Angkor Archaeological Park, the largest religious structure in the world, which attracted over two and a half million visitors in 2019. In peak season, the flow of additional passengers can place a strain on services.

Yet, like many airports, we suddenly faced a period of reduced traffic. If we’d have been upgrading to capitalintensive on-site servers and software, we may have delayed or cancelled the project. It would have been

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difficult to justify upfront investment as we approached a period of disruption. But with the cloud, we realised the cost model was variable – we pay for IT services based on the amount of business we handle.

Our service teams also rose to the challenge and Amadeus was able to organise efficient training for staff and airlines. Everything was delivered online, directed by teams based across the world, and we found that the quality of training meant that learnings can be passed onto new staff effectively.

Aside from the variable cost and ease of training, it quickly became apparent that the new approach to IT could help us respond to the impact of the pandemic.

The number and type of airlines offering services from the three international hubs we operate in Cambodia has fluctuated during the pandemic. Some have scaled back operations and others have chosen to begin new services, and in both cases the cloud enabled the changes immediately.

With a single connection to Amadeus, we’ve been able to access the vast majority of the world’s airlines without

Affiliated to France’s VINCI Airports, Cambodia Airports is the sole ground handler at the three airports and therefore provides services for all the airlines serving Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.

The mix of different carriers means that no single airline is responsible for more than 7% of passenger movements, a scenario that ensures that we are not overly dependent on one particular airline or route. However, an operational challenge we face is being able to add new airlines quickly and simply. Another is standardising the Departure Control Systems (DCS) our teams use to serve passengers and handle flights for this diverse group of airlines.

Take Siem Reap as an example, where we handle more than 20 airlines. Despite the potential complexity, we’ve found that they all know Amadeus and are familiar with both cloud solutions and the ease of connectivity this represents for them. The testing system also works well with each carrier.

This flexibility will also extend to new services which may be rolled out in the future, as well as the airline staff themselves, who can access the software from any internet connected device, allowing them to better serve their passengers.

In fact, the transition has been motivating for all members of staff. The software and tools are intuitive, and everyone has seen a marked improvement in their day-to-day tasks. A good example of this is the improvement to flight management and load control; we now have a tool which can carry out this process automatically with a graphical user interface.

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having to manage legacy connectivity projects that can take many months to deploy. Instead, a connection is organised by Amadeus in a matter of days and the airline is ready to serve routes to our airports located in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville.

This is a huge improvement on two fronts as previously ground handlers would require airline specific knowledge in the form of unique codes to perform simple tasks. Now, the process is much faster and more efficient. Secondly, there is opportunity for further operational improvement. It’s feasible that, in the future, we could use a wider array of options to process load control and flight management across all three airports achieving further efficiencies.

In this sense, the technology has increased our agility, and the improvements to connection distances is one of the key differences that will drive change in the future. If everything is safely connected, it becomes far easier to deploy new tools. Like all other areas of business, airports are becoming tech-enabled service providers, and this technological upgrade will increase the pace of innovation across all our three sites.

One area which will see change in the future is the environmental aspect of air travel. With cloud-enabled automation, we are already seeing airlines better optimising fuel consumption through superior load balancing.

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Every time an aircraft moves the results are obvious; and aside from the environment aspects, this is also a saving for airlines through better optimised fuel consumption.

operator, so passengers can head straight to security when they reach the airport.

With some bookings beginning to be structured around sustainability, and the pace of environment sustainability and governance programmes increasing, cloud technology will be crucial for airlines to stay competitive.

This is just one example of the opportunity to introduce new ideas and services that ultimately benefit the passenger. From the traveller perspective, this would allow them to minimise their contact with other passengers, speed up their airport journey and reduce friction.

Once demand returns, the cloud will also bring improvement to the passenger experience. Off-airport check-in, for example, is a very interesting tool especially in the context of Siem Reap.

With the right foundations in place, we’re also well positioned to add self-service and biometric identity technology to increase automation and offer passengers a smoother experience.

As a huge tourist destination with a large amount of group travel, off-airport check-in and bag-drop could be used in conjunction with tour operators and hotels to reduce terminal congestion. In theory, check-in desks could be set up in large hotels, tailor made to each

The move to the cloud will facilitate this transition to automated tools. Our partnership with Amadeus will contribute to adding new innovations on top of our flexible cloud infrastructure both now and in the years to come.

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APA Issue 3, 2021

PARKING PUZZLE ACI Asia-Pacific’s Samantha Solomon explores the role of simulations in airplane parking projects before, during and post pandemic.

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ike all in the aviation sector, the impact of the pandemic has not left global consulting firm Beca untouched. Over the course of the pandemic, the New Zealand-company has seen airport design projects terminated, postponed, or reduced in scope.

Prior to the pandemic, expansion and modernisation projects were bountiful as airports, especially in the fastest-growing region of the world, Asia, were dealing with rapid growth, requiring optimal apron layout designs.

Unlike now, the most common problem was trying to accommodate higher volumes of new technology aircraft.

“In 2019, we were commissioned to design six remote stands on the north side of Pier B at Auckland Airport,” recalls 27-year Beca veteran airport designer, Wayne Napier.

The project called for stands with one Code E/F on the main stand centre line and two alternative lines for Code C (up to Boeing 737-size aircraft), otherwise known as MARS (Multiple Aircraft Ramping System) replicated along six stands. Whilst the stands would initially serve

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as remote stands, the design team had to consider future boarding bridge operations.

“What would have taken weeks to design, we were able to achieve in a few days with simulation software,” notes Napier. This is just one of many examples where software has saved an enormous amount of time.

Originally designed to calculate the swept paths of aircraft, CAD-based design application AviPLAN, created by software company Transoft Solutions, has become one of the go-to tools for parking optimisation projects.

The software simulates aircraft manoeuvring, ground services activities, airbridge operations and jet-blast contours and then brings the project to life through animated video. Used by airport teams and consultants alike, AviPLAN is commercially available software for the design of taxiways and aircraft parking stands.

By using AviPLAN, Napier, a long-time user and advocate of the software, was able to streamline the design and planning aspect of the remote stand project and easily replicate one stand design across six.

He explains that apron planning is an iterative process, and the modelling software simulation tool is ideal for that.

“Being able to sit with a client and work through scenarios is an essential part of the process,” Napier comments.

“Fortunately, this wasn’t really the case in New Zealand as the grounded fleet was primarily domestic. The international fleet was parked in either Australia’s Alice Springs or in the Arizona desert in the United States.”

AviPLAN was created for use in the preliminary planning stages of an airport but equally offers opportunities for airport operators to address temporary changes such as regular pavement maintenance or unexpected arrival of diverted flights. Many airports recently turned to the application as large numbers of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft were grounded.

Utilising the jet blast contour drawings in the library of the application, allowed them to quickly replan the parking arrangements in a way to make the best of a difficult situation.

In describing the benefits of the simulation software, Napier stresses the point not to put blind faith into the output of the software and the criticality of incorporating ‘real-world’ experiences. For example, it’s not unusual for Napier to cross check assumptions by spending time with teams on the ground.

He recalls that during one project at Auckland Airport, it was evident that the software output wasn’t achievable in a real-world environment. He then spent the day with a tug driver to determine whether this was due to human or environmental factors or standard operating procedures.

At Transoft’s headquarters in Sweden and their regional offices in Europe, Middle East, Americas and Asia-Pacific, the teams could not have imagined the role its application would play as the pandemic unfolded.

Napier certainly has a wealth of experience with AviPLAN and has assisted in training major airports in Australia and New Zealand. “The depth of experience is necessary to deliver meaningful training,” he emphasises.

Every airport faced the problem of having to park large numbers of airplanes. They soon realised there wasn’t enough parking space, nor was it practical to send all to desert storage facilities.

Reassuringly, Napier states that Beca has noticed a rise in airport projects coming back online in the last few months.

Initially, many airports used AviPLAN to park the airplanes as close as possible to optimise the available space and accommodating as many airplanes as possible.

But, as the grounding continued, airports realised this approach wasn’t sustainable. Airplanes needed to be serviced on a regular basis to keep them flight ready, including starting the engines at regular intervals. It became evident this was not possible due to their close proximity.

www.aci-apa.com

Fast forward to 2020 and “COVID-19 has changed the way operators look at the airfields,” notes Napier. “New construction projects, as opposed to maintenance projects, were terminated as global fleets were grounded and parking space became a premium commodity.

As airports returned to the drawing board, with AviPLAN, they could determine how much space they had, whether they could manoeuvre service vehicles between the aircraft and how the jet blast of starting engines would impact aircraft parked nearby.

“Although passenger numbers are still low, airports are seizing the opportunity to conduct work without disruption to airfield, terminal or landside operations,” he says.

This is, of course, great news for the firm as it seeks to inspire airports in its second century of operations.

As the world slowly moves towards recovery, airports are turning to AviPLAN to run simulation scenarios how to best bring airplanes out of their temporary parking lots back to service.

APA

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WBP NEWS

APA Issue 3, 2021

The latest news from ACI’s Asia-Pacific and global World Business Partners.

PLAZA PREMIUM GROUP AWARDED BENGALURU KEMPEGOWDA CONCESSION Bangalore International Airport Limited has awarded the Plaza Premium Group (PPG) a 10-year concession to carry out a host of passenger service activities at Bengaluru Kempegowda.

As a result, PPG will provide meet and assist, porter, PRM (persons with reduced mobility), luggage storage, concierge, limousine, personal shopper, valet parking and pet care services at the Indian gateway along with numerous other passenger related duties.

In addition the concession covers service delivery, customer engagement, marketing and communications, training for BIAL staff and the potential adoption of new service enhancing technologies.

The move is in line with ‘The Power of One’ philosophy of transforming the airport experience for passengers by delivering “One brand, one experience, one service standards” across the airport campus.

“We are optimistic that our timely partnership with PPG will bolster our mission to transform the passenger experience at BLR,” says BIAL’s managing director and CEO, Hari Marar.

“The Power of One concept will ensure optimal service and safety standards, along with a seamless airport experience. This partnership is a positive step towards restoring passenger confidence in air travel.”

As part of the mission and strategy to deliver seamless, optimal and data-driven operation excellence, Plaza

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Premium Group has teamed up with global IT services leader Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to develop an end-to-end passenger services technology platform to connect the complexity of reservation, sales and marketing, customer engagement, back-of-house command and control, manpower management, training centre and the entire operation information management.

The new PPG Passenger Services Technology Platform currently under development will be based on the existing PPG operating platform tailored to meet the needs of Bengaluru Kempegowda’s passengers both now and in the future.

According to PPG, the platform will include an omni-channel booking engine which enables worldwide sales and distribution; a ‘customer engagement centre’ with customer profiling and personlisation capabilities; a service delivery platform for dispatch and real-time incident management; and a back office system which powers human resources, administration, asset and information management.

PPG has also partnered with one-stop customer engagement technology service provider oneDirect to ensure passenger interactions are managed through one-single platform via various touchpoints.

“We are beyond grateful to be trusted by BIAL to jointly create world-class airport experience and very importantly, to serve millions of domestic and international travellers in the new era of travel,” enthuses PPG’s founder and CEO, Song Hoi-see.

Elenium Automation is to supply Darwin International Airport (DIA) with its VYGR end-to-end solution, which it says will help improve the passenger experience, enhance operational efficiency, and enable future growth.

To date, DIA has used traditional, agent-assisted passenger check-in and baggage acceptance. By implementing Elenium’s self-service technology, it will provide a fast, safer, and more efficient journey for passengers and enable ground staff to give more focused assistance to those who need it.

The scope of the Elenium solution at DIA includes 30 portable kiosks to provide a full and fast check-in process, all of which can be easily moved for greater operational flexibility and utility, as well as 23 bag drops, six of which can also function as agent-assist and rework stations.

HIGH FASHION AT CHENGDU TIANFU

Rob Porter, executive general manager for DIA operator, Airport Development Group, said: “We believe that Elenium’s innovative technology will help us create a seamless kerb-to-gate journey for our passengers.”

Elenium Automation CEO and co-founder, Aaron Hornlimann, noted: “As Australia moves toward reopening, self-service automation technology will be key in enabling airports to operate safely, without compromising on efficiency or passenger experience.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Darwin International Airport to leverage our self-service technology. Our ultimate vision is for passengers to simply walk through the airport unencumbered.”

Lagardère Travel Retail has opened a large-scale retail and F&B concession at Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, stating that its “stellar luxury brand line up befits the ambitions of China’s newest major airport and the dynamic city it serves”.

food and beverage brands in the same terminal, including Costa Coffee (the first of several openings under a partnership between the two companies), Godiva Café and Ajisen Ramen. A second Costa Coffee outlet will open in the international terminal next year.

The airside shopping area features 15 luxury boutiques developed by Lagardère Travel Retail showcasing brands ranging from Alexander McQueen, Bulgari and Gucci to Valentino.

Eudes Fabre, CEO for North Asia at Lagardère Travel Retail, said: “The new airport in Chengdu sets a new benchmark in terminal design and commercial planning. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the development of this majestic new gateway and thank our brand partners for their support in this ambitious project.”

In line with the company’s multi-segment operational strategy, Lagardère Travel Retail also opened several

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DARWIN TURNS TO ELENIUM’S PASSENGER-ENHANCING SOLUTIONS

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WBP PROFILES AVIATION STRATEGIES INTERNATIONAL (ASI)

Location: Canada Type of business: Consulting & Management E: Info@aviationstrategies.aero W: www.aviationstrategies.aero

NEW BIOMETRIC SOLUTIONS AT TOKYO HANEDA Collins Aerospace has completed deployment of its ARINC SelfPass biometrics solution at Tokyo Haneda, one of the busiest airports in Asia-Pacific.

APA Issue 3, 2021

The technology will help streamline passenger journeys through Haneda by reducing the need for physical interaction with staff and bottlenecks at multiple passenger touchpoints.

“Our Face Express system will allow passengers to efficiently proceed through baggage drop, the entrance to security checkpoints and boarding gates by utilising facial recognition, eliminating the hassle of showing passports and boarding passes,” enthused Shoichi Ohashi, Tokyo International Air Terminal Corporation’s senior manager for the facility.

“Despite the challenging pandemic environment, we were able to manage staffing and suppliers to ensure smooth delivery of the solution.”

This project includes the installation of 98 self-service check-in kiosks, 30 biometric enrollment kiosks, 104 biometric devices for self-bag drop, 17 biometric automated security gates and 42 biometric automated self-boarding gates.

It has been a busy few months for Collins Aerospace which has also announced that Clark International Airport in the Philippines has selected its suite of airport solutions to help provide a seamless passenger experience for the increased number of travellers expected to pass through the airport following its 2021 expansion.

The gateway has selected ARINC’s passenger processing and airport operation solutions to move passenger flow through its new Terminal Two while helping to keep airport data optimised and secure.

All the solutions, which include cloud-based passenger check-in platform ARINC cMuse, are expected to be installed and operational by the third quarter of 2021.

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APA

Aviation Strategies International (ASI) is an international multi-disciplinary network of seasoned aviation advisors, comprised of former senior executives from air transportation industry enterprises and international organisations. ASI provides corporate-level strategic advice and consulting services, as well as executive training for aviation sector enterprises such as airports and airlines as well as for governmental and regulatory authorities in civil aviation. ASI is the officiallyappointed administrator of the Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme, a joint programme by ACI and ICAO.

SKYPORTS

Location: Singapore Type of business: Consulting & Management Contact: Yun Yuan Tay E: yunyuan@skyports.net W: www.skyports.net Skyports is unlocking the sky for advanced air mobility (AAM), providing the critical link between the ground and the sky. It designs, builds and operates take-off and landing infrastructure for air taxis, and partners with electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) passenger and cargo vehicle manufacturers around the world to enable safe and efficient flight operations within urban and suburban environments.

GENETEC ASIA PACIFIC

Location: Singapore Type of business: IT & Communications E: apacevents@genetec.com W: www.genetec.com Genetec is recognised as a pioneer in IP video surveillance and a technology leader within the physical security industry. Genetec’s success is built on its dynamic team of highly skilled individuals dedicated to the development of tomorrow’s cuttingedge security technologies and its commitment to customer care.

8TH ANNUAL SMART AIRPORTS & REGIONS CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 13 - 15 July 2022 | Ontario, California, USA HOSTS

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