Airports Council International

ACI considers safety its main priority and has launched programs such as Airport Excellence (APEX) to help airports enhance their level of safety. It also provides publications that describe recommendations and best practices for airport operators.[6] It is involved in airport design specifications, standard operating procedures for airports, technology, systems & equipment, safety management systems for airports, safety guidance material and training.[7]

ACI encourages its member airports to improve operational and cost efficiency to moderate the cost of flying, mitigate capacity shortfalls and create sufficient rates of return.[5]

ACI has formulated policy positions on security issues which guide the organization and member airports.[5]

All of the ACI World IT initiatives are coordinated through the ACI World Airport IT Standing Committee, constituted by people from airports and business partners and aims to reformulate recommended practices and develop guidelines, benchmarking and training materials.[5]

ACI develops initiatives to reduce environmental impacts while supporting economic and social benefits.[8] It created tools to help airports calculate their greenhouse gas emissions.[9]

As one of the founding members of the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), ACI, along with other trade associations, is part of a coalition of aviation industry experts focusing on sustainable development issues. ATAG defines common positions on issues to make contributions to the industry and governmental consultation processes.[10]

ACI helps airports improve their management or flow of passengers, baggage, cargo and mail by providing a set of best practices together with measuring and benchmarking opportunities provided through the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) programs.[11]

In 2015, ACI created an Expert Group on Slots (EGS) that proposes a worldwide policy on slots. The Group wrote a Position Paper to guide ACI's advocacy on this topic and recommend involvement in the development of the IATA Worldwide Slot Guidelines.

ASQ is a worldwide program part of the ACI's Airport Quality Service Initiative that surveys passengers on their day of travel, measuring passengers' view. The program claims to "measure passengers' satisfaction" at the departure and the arrival stages of their journey through airports.[12]

ACI first launched the Airports Excellence Program (APEX) in Safety in 2012.[13] The program provides assistance for airports to enhance their level of safety. It is based on airport safety review, which analyzes gaps in airport operation and infrastructure in comparison to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and safety best practices.[14] ACI organizes and dispatches an on-site team from ICAO and other airports to identify and remedy safety vulnerabilities through peer reviews, information sharing, training, assistance with implementation of management structures. It covers the setup, implementation and performance of the safety management system in the areas of physical characteristics & pavement management, air rescue and firefighting, wildlife management, apron management, documentation, record keeping, and security management systems.[15]

In October 2017, ACI launched the APEX in Security Program based on the same principles as APEX in Safety. The program covers Operational Security Management, with assessments being performed by security experts.[16]

Airport Carbon Accreditation was launched as an independent, voluntary program in 2009 after the adoption of a resolution on Climate Change in 2008 at the annual assembly of ACI Europe. Member airports committed to reduce carbon emissions from their operations, with the ultimate goal of becoming carbon neutral. The programme allowed the assessment and recognition of participating airports' efforts to manage and reduce their CO₂ emissions.

Airport Carbon Accreditation has been extended to airports in the Asia-pacific region in 2011, in Africa in 2013, and eventually went global in 2014 with the extension to the regions of North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.[17]

In 2017, IATA and ACI launched the New Experience in Travel and Technologies (NEXTT) initiative for on-ground transport experience, to guide industry investments and help governments improve the regulatory framework. NEXTT investigates how passengers, cargo, baggage and aircraft move through the travel journey with a focus on change in off-airport activities, processing technology, and interactive decision-making.[18]

Airports Council International expressed airports' commitment to the fight against human trafficking through the approbation of a resolution during the ACI World General Assembly in 2016. The resolution expressed ACI's commitments to promote awareness of human trafficking through media, provide access to training materials and materials for distribution, encourage the incorporation of training into airport staff security awareness programs, and support activities of governments, charities and non-governmental organizations who are involved in the prevention of human trafficking.[19]

Airports Council International is committed to developing a framework to fight wildlife trafficking and adopting and encouraging the adoption of a zero tolerance policy regarding illegal wildlife trade. ACI was one of the parties involved in the signature of the United for Wildlife Task Force Declaration at the Buckingham Palace in 2016.[20] The organization is dedicated to developing a practical solutions while cooperating with international initiatives such as the Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species (ROUTES) partnership.[21]