The big picture

ACI World promoted a number of key airport priorities at the 41st ICAO Triennial Assembly, which took place over 10 days in Montréal in late September/early October, 2022.

Occurring every three years, ICAO’s Assembly establishes worldwide policy and guides governments’ continuing and future work in civil aviation.

The event – which focuses on strengthening the sustainability of the entire aviation ecosystem – attracted more than 2,500 delegates, including ministers, directors general of civil aviation, and senior policy and decision makers.

States and international organisations, including ACI World, submitted Working Papers that were presented during the Assembly and that represent the perspectives of their constituencies. The discussion and their conclusions direct the work of ICAO for the next triennium.

“While we have all been heavily affected by the pandemic, the aviation industry has come out more united and with the clear understanding that we must support each other to sustainably recover and grow,” said ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira.

“If one stakeholder is left behind, the entire system suffers, especially our passengers and communities worldwide. All aviation stakeholders have the responsibility of maximising the industry’s contribution to the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goals for current and future generations.

“Fundamentally, as an ecosystem, we must continue to put travellers and the communities we serve at the centre of what we do.”

ACI Working Papers

The ACI World delegation presented five Working Papers:

• Attracting and developing the aviation ecosystem’s workforce to ensure the industry’s long-term sustainability and resilience

To address the staff shortages brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, ACI World invited the Assembly to collaborate with international organisations and industry to support professional development programmes aimed at roles within aviation. This entails increased engagement with educational institutions to promote civil aviation as an attractive career choice.

• Airports’ efforts to decarbonise, required support and a collaborative approach with governments and stakeholders

Airports are fully committed to reaching the cross-industry long-term goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and urge States to do the same. ACI invited the Assembly to further support airports’ work to develop and implement their decarbonisation strategies and action plans; and support increased collaboration among stakeholders to increase the availability of renewable energy, finance, and capacity building.

• Accessibility to persons with disabilities: Dignified air travel for all

The drive towards greater social inclusion forms an integral part of the UN strategic framework, including the need to identify and eliminate barriers to access for persons with disabilities. ACI World invited the Assembly to adopt a new Resolution on accessibility of air transport to persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility, which recognises the need for ICAO’s leadership to support measures to improve accessibility to air transport.

ACI World recently launched the Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation programme that provides a path of improvement for airports in the area of accessibility for passengers with disabilities. The programme received support from diverse accessibility advocacy groups and ICAO.

• In support of ICAO’s Airport Economics Panel

ACI World invited the Assembly to conduct a general review of the ongoing relevance and responsiveness of ICAO’s Policies on Charges for Airports and Air Navigation Services, in support of ICAO’s own initiation to do so through a Working Group of Member States and Official Observers. ACI promotes the modernisation of airport charges principles that should recognise the changed competitive landscape of the airport industry, and its long-term infrastructure needs to meet sustainable goals.

• Supporting effective mechanisms to fight wildlife trafficking

Wildlife trafficking is a global problem and air transport continues to be a frequently used method of transport for traffickers. ACI World invited the Assembly to increase action and encourage States to implement measures to combat wildlife trafficking.