Call for policymakers to treat capacity as a national economic priority

ACI World is urging governments to make increasing airport capacity part of long-term national infrastructure and economic planning.

This, claims ACI, requires them to modernise the frameworks that govern slots and market access while adopting stable regulation that attracts the investment the system needs.

Speaking at the ACI-LAC/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition in Lima, ACI World director general, Justin Erbacci, said: “The industry will need to invest $4.6 trillion by 2055 just to meet the growth already coming its way. But we cannot simply build our way out of this challenge.

“Capacity creation means getting more from existing infrastructure, working as one system with airlines and air navigation service providers, and creating policy so that infrastructure can deliver its full benefits—connecting people and markets while also enhancing regional economic value.”

Slots, it notes, are a central test of that approach. Indeed, following the release of its white paper earlier this month, ACI World is taking the conversation to governments and regulators worldwide.

Its message is that slot policy is no longer a technical scheduling matter but a matter of strategic public interest, shaping communities and economies for years to come.

“When capacity is scarce, decisions about who can fly, where and when shape connectivity, competition and passenger choice,” said Erbacci.

“We are asking governments to plan ahead for aviation growth, enable capacity before it reaches crisis point, and modernise regulatory frameworks and slot policies. And we cannot ask airports to expand capacity while limiting their ability to finance it. The equation simply does not work.”

As a result, ACI World is also urging regulators to provide stable, proportionate frameworks that encourage long-term investment, and on finance ministries to look beyond the immediate revenue aviation can generate—to the far greater economic value connectivity creates.

A GLOBAL GATHERING

The ACI-LAC/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition is bringing together more than 600 aviation leaders, government representatives, and industry partners from over 60 countries.

“Latin America and the Caribbean has long been one of aviation’s great growth stories, and there is no better place to talk about the future of our industry,” said Erbacci.

Event highlights include:

• Around 20 executive sessions covering critical industry topics such as infrastructure and capacity, digital transformation, Advanced Air Mobility, and sustainability.

• “Women in Airports” initiative launch, dedicated to driving real inclusivity and empowering women in the airport industry to develop and flourish in their careers.

• Recognition ceremony marking 15 years of ACI’s Airport Excellence Programme (APEX), celebrating nearly 250 peer-led airport safety and security reviews worldwide.

• Air Transport Summit: Strategic discussions on shaping the future of aviation in Latin America and the Caribbean, featuring dedicated workshops on airport charges and slot policies.