Spread the love

Post Views: 22

In a major boost for air travel stakeholders worldwide, the Airports Council International (ACI) World and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop the Airport System Capacity Enhancement (ASCE) program. The aim is to address the challenges facing the aviation industry as it strives to support sustainable growth in air travel demand and reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The ASCE program, one of the core areas of cooperation in the MoU, will focus on unlocking airport capacity by improving coordination, procedures, and technology investments. It will provide a comprehensive on-site review by industry peers and experts to optimize the use of airport system capacity, both in the air and on the ground. The program will also offer expertise, practical recommendations, and targeted solutions tailored to the unique needs of airports and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) being reviewed.

The growth of air travel demand has long posed challenges for the aviation industry, with delays, inefficiencies, and disruptions for passengers, ANSPs, airports, and aircraft operators. The latest ACI World Airport Traffic Forecasts predict that total passenger traffic worldwide will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.5% from 2021-2041, reaching 19.3 billion passengers. Meeting this demand sustainably requires cooperation among stakeholders and innovation in capacity optimization.

Unlocking capacity through the ASCE program can provide significant advantages, including reducing delays and inefficiencies that result in additional costs for stakeholders and contributing to aviation’s emissions reduction goals. The program pilot is planned to take place at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru, with another intended in the coming months.

ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira emphasized the importance of leveraging all available capacity across the airport system to support sustainable growth and meet industry emissions reduction goals. He expressed pride in the launch of the ASCE program and the strengthening of the relationship with CANSO through the MoU.

CANSO Director General Simon Hocquard echoed de Oliveira’s sentiments and called for new perspectives on congestion management and utilization of existing infrastructure resources to meet future demands. He welcomed the collaboration with airport partners on the ASCE program and highlighted its potential to deliver real benefits for the aviation system.