Airport World, Issue 5, 2022

Sustainability:

Airport World

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Joe Bates +44 (0)1276 476582 joe@airport-world.com

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Grab your hat!

Editor, Joe Bates, looks forward to the ACI Africa/ World Annual General Assembly in Marrakech and reflects on the ‘sustainability’ theme of this issue.

F or someone that travelled abroad so often for so many years, I still find it hard to believe that the upcoming ACI Africa/World Annual General Assembly, Conference & Exhibition, will be the first WAGA I have been able to attend since Hong Kong in April 2019.

Nobody, of course, could have predicted the COVID pandemic that caused the cancellation of the planned 2020 WAGA in Buenos Aires, Argentina, or the travel restrictions which meant that I couldn’t attend last year’s scaled down event in Cancún, Mexico.

things like international air travel for granted. I also believe that my experience demonstrates just how important familiarity with processes and procedures are to making people feel at ease, particularly at often stressful places like the world’s airports.

The ‘sustainability’ theme of this issue is an important one, especially as the topic was high on the agenda at the 41st ICAO Triennial Assembly in Montréal and will be throughout the upcoming WAGA in Marrakech.

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And WAGA, of course, wasn’t the only industry event that I was unable to attend during this time, so I am especially looking forward to Marrakech and catching up with industry leaders, colleagues and friends, some of whom I haven’t seen since Hong Kong more than three years ago!

From a personal perspective, my lack of flying since 2019 has made me more excited about future trips, but also a little more apprehensive, as I am out of the habit of jumping on a plane every month. I suppose what I am trying to say is that pre-COVID, air travel was second nature to me as I knew what to expect, packed without even thinking about it, and could plan my airport arrival and departures with almost military precision. I virtually travelled on autopilot.

This was certainly not the case for me a few months ago when I went to Rome for ACI EUROPE’s Annual Congress & Exhibition, because out of practice, I had to write out a list of things to take so that I didn’t forget anything! I also couldn’t remember if I had to take my shoes off when I went through the security checkpoint at Heathrow and wasn’t 100% sure if it was necessary to show proof of COVID vaccination upon arrival in Italy.

Minor things, I know, but I think it just goes to show how much we used to take

We turn the sustainability spotlight on a host of issues, which include updates on the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme; the importance of good waste management; and review the sustainability journey of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The section also looks at the challenges the industry faces in recruiting and holding on to staff, and we consider some of the big picture priorities due to be discussed at the 41st ICAO Triennial Assembly.

Elsewhere in the issue, we review the recent ACI Customer Experience Global Summit in Kraków; consider the benefits of automated cleaning robots and queue management systems; and marvel at some amazing digital art installations at Orlando International Airport’s new Terminal C.

Our main airport interview is with Habiba Laklalech, the director general of Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA), who tells us more about the challenges and opportunities ahead for Marrakech Menara Airport and the country’s airport network.

I hope that all sounds good, and you can tell me about what features you found most interesting, and maybe suggest some future stories of your own, when we meet in Marrakech for the ACI Africa/ World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition!

In this issue

3 Opinion

Editor, Joe Bates, looks forward to the ACI Africa/World Annual General Assembly in Marrakech and reflects on the ‘sustainability’ theme of this issue.

9 View from the top

ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, considers the challenges of climate change and airports as sustainability leaders.

10 All roads lead to Marrakech

Habiba Laklalech, director general of Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA), tells Joe Bates more about her first 18 months in the job and the challenges and opportunities ahead for Marrakech Menara Airport.

17 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.

18 Doing the right thing

Adopting ESG reporting and management frameworks for a sustainable future is now a top priority for the world’s airports, writes ACI World’s director for sustainability and envionmental protection, Jennifer Desharnais.

20 Game changer

ICF’s Eliot Lees and Yasar Yetiskin explain why airports need to pay attention to and play their part in the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

24 Leading by example

Being one of the world’s most environment friendly and sustainable gateways is a top priority for Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, writes CEO, Videh Kumar Jaipuriar.

26 Talking rubbish!

Waste management practices are critical to the sustainability journey of airports, writes Frost & Sullivan’s aerospace and defence research analyst, Abhilash Abraham.

28 Eliminating emissions

WSP’s aviation strategy and policy advisor and programme administrator of ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, Leonie Dobbie, updates us on the take up, development and evolution of the global initiative.

31 Good job?

Emma Robinson considers some of the challenges the industry will have to address in order to motivate new talent to enter the airport sector.

32 Going the extra mile

Airport World reports on a milestone achievement for Incheon International Airport and some of the highlights of the recent ACI Customer Experience Global Summit in Kraków.

35 Wonder walls

Orlando International Airport is reimaging the passenger experience with a series of architecturally scaled immersive art installations dedicated to original and interactive content, writes Joe Bates.

36 Cutting edge cleaning

Brain Corp’s chief revenue officer, Michel Spruijt, explains why he believes that autonomous cleaning robots are here to stay at the world’s airports.

38 The waiting game

Virtual queuing is coming to an airport near you soon and could represent the future of waiting at airports, writes Steve Covate.

40 World Business Partners News

The latest news and views from ACI’s World Business Partners.

42 People matters

Dr Richard Plenty and Terri Morrissey reflect on the importance of taking a broad perspective on sustainability.

Director General

Luis Felipe de Oliveira (Montréal, Canada)

Chair

Aimen Al Hosni (Muscat, Oman)

Vice Chair

Candace McGraw (Cincinnati, USA)

Immediate Past Chair

Martin Eurnekián (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Treasurer Candace McGraw (Cincinnati, USA)

ACI WORLD GOVERNING BOARD

DIRECTORS

Africa (3)

Emanuel Chaves (Maputo, Mozambique)

Dewananda Chellen (Plaine Magnien, Mauritius)

Capt Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu (Lagos, Nigeria)

Asia-Pacific (9)

Aimen Al-Hosni (Muscat, Oman)

Mohamed Yousif Al-Binfalah (Bahrain)

Geoff Culbert (Sydney, Australia)

SGK Kishore (Hyderabad, India)

Fred Lam (Hong Kong)

Seow Hiang Lee (Singapore)

Nitinai Sirismatthakarn (Bangkok, Thailand)

Akihiko Tamura (Tokyo, Japan)

1 Vacancy

Europe (7)

Arnaud Feist (Brussels, Belgium)

Jost Lammers (Munich, Germany)

Javier Marin (Madrid, Spain)

Yiannis Paraschis (Athens, Greece)

Kadri Samsunlu (Istanbul, Turkey)

Stefan Schulte (Frankfurt, Germany)

Nazareno Ventola (Bologna, Italy)

Latin America & Caribbean (3)

Ezequiel Barrenechea (Guayaquil, Ecuador)

Mónica Infante (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)

Juan José Salmón (Lima, Peru)

North America (6)

Lew Bleiweis (Asheville, USA)

Joyce Carter (Halifax, Canda)

Deborah Flint (Toronto, Canada)

Joseph Lopano (Tampa, USA)

Candace McGraw (Cincinnati, USA)

Sam Samaddar (Kelowna, Canada)

Regional Advisers to the World Governing Board (10)

Guillaume Branlat (Saint-Denis, Réunion)

David Ciceo (Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

Fred Lam (Hong Kong)

Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid (Delhi, India)

Mpumi Mpofu (Johannesburg, South Africa)

Andrew O’Brian (Washington DC, USA)

Jorge Rosillo (Galapagos, Ecuador)

Brian Ryks (Minneapolis-St Paul, USA)

2 Vacancies

WBP Observer

Keith Thompson (Gensler)

Correct as of

View from the top

Since

the Paris Agreement, the international treaty on climate change adopted at COP 21, many industries have understood the urgency of addressing our common and most existential threat: climate change.

The international treaty’s goal is to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels.

In addition, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report, published in October 2018, has called for drastic reductions in global carbon emissions, and concluded that net zero emissions need to be reached by 2050.

Airports as sustainability leaders

Airports have been at the forefront of sustainability in the aviation industry. In fact, we are proud to boast that the airport community made the first aviation sector commitment at the global level, based on a comprehensive long-term goal feasibility study. In June 2021, ACI World and its members committed to reaching reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Indeed, around the world, airports have been developing and implementing environmental and social initiatives for many years, placing sustainability at the core of their business strategies. This has included action to reduce aircraft noise, limit emissions that affect local air quality, and working closely with the communities around airports on social and environmental impacts.

As many of you know, ACI has a long-running programme to measure and map carbon emissions and to recognise airports that take action through the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme to reduce those emissions. Globally, the ACA programme has 412 airports at all levels of the programme in 79 countries across the world.

In addition, many airports are preparing to adapt their operations and infrastructure for sustainable energy sources, engaging in research, developing pilot projects for new technologies, implementing co-operation agreements with stakeholders, engaging in the circular economy, and protecting biodiversity.

LTAG: A cross-industry commitment

In October 2021, the wider aviation industry followed in step, agreeing through the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), to a common goal of net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. This goal is ambitious and achievable but requires strong support from governments.

Thus, at ICAO’s 41st Triennial Assembly, which was taking place in Montréal as this edition of Airport World went to press, the industry found itself at a historic moment in which civil aviation’s long-term future would be defined.

For those of you unfamiliar with the event and its importance, the ICAO Assembly establishes worldwide policy and guides governments’ continuing and future work in civil aviation.

This event 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 a number of Working Papers during the Assembly. The discussion and their conclusions direct the work of ICAO for the next triennium.

ACI believes that the adoption of an ambitious environmental agreement at the ICAO 41st Triennial Assembly that is fully aligned with the Paris Agreement and the aviation industry’s own commitments would demonstrate the leadership and commitment of ICAO and governments in taking bold measures to combat climate change.

In addition, ICAO member States must continue to support the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), as the single global market-based mechanism for international aviation emissions.

ACI Papers at 41st ICAO Assembly

ACI on behalf of airports, via a Working Paper, 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. We also submitted an Information Paper on how airports can support the decarbonisation of the aviation ecosystem.

In a show of solidarity, ACI has co-signed with other industry players other Information Papers on ICAO’s role in supporting the energy transition to sustainable aviation fuels, the industry view on delivering a long-term climate goal for aviation, and the cost of achieving net zero carbon in aviation.

For those interested in learning more about ACI’s work at ICAO’s 41st Assembly, please visit aci.aero/all4one.

ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, considers the challenges of climate change and airports as sustainability leaders.

All roads lead to Marrakech

Habiba Laklalech, director general of Moroccan Airports Authority (ONDA), tells Joe Bates more about her first 18 months in the job and the challenges and opportunities ahead for Marrakech Menara Airport.

As has been the case for almost everyone in the aviation industry, the last 18 months have proven eventful and challenging for Moroccan Airports Authority’s director general, Habiba Laklalech.

Laklalech was appointed in February, 2021, and is responsible for the overall operation and development of the country’s 26 state-owned airports, including 19 international airports, which between them can handle up to 40 million passengers per annum.

ONDA’s Moroccan airport system includes Agadir’s Al Massira Airport, Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport, Tangier Ibn Battuta, Rabat-Salé Airport and, of course, Marrakech Menara Airport, which on the behalf of all Morrocan airports, is the host for the upcoming ACI Africa/ACI World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition.

It is a big responsibility, but there is no doubting that she has the experience and qualities to do the job as she was formerly deputy CEO of national flag carrier, Royal Air Maroc, and working life has also included stints with Proctor & Gamble and Moroccan telecommunications firm, Meditel.

So, how have your first 18 months at ONDA gone, and has anything surprised you about Morocco’s airports and the airport industry in general?

I have enjoyed it! Having been at Royal Air Maroc at the start of the pandemic, I was certainly aware of the challenges the aviation industry faced when I arrived. What I didn’t know when I joined, but do know, is that ONDA is a strong and remarkably resilient company, compared to others in the sector, and I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of its staff.

Can you tell us a little more about ONDA?

In addition to operating and developing Morocco’s airport infrastructure, ONDA is responsible for the management of air navigation services in Morocco. In terms of growth, ONDA has supported the strong increase in traffic experienced by Morocco’s airport since the signing of the Open Sky agreement with the EU in 2006, by investing massively in infrastructure, equipment, quality of services and human capital.

The newest terminal at Marrakech Menara Airport, for example, was commissioned in December 2016. Elsewhere, Mohammed V Airport opened its totally renovated Terminal 1 in January 2019 and new terminals were commissionned at Guelmim, Errachidia and Zagora airports the same year. The most recent terminal opened in Morocco was at Nador El Aroui International Airport, in July 2021.

The last few years have not been easy, of course, and we are currently working on improvements to some areas of the business that we could do better. However, I am proud to say that we were able to keep Marrakech Menara and all of the country’s major airports open throughout the COVID crisis and, while appreciating that the pandemic is far from over, we are now looking to the future and to enhancing the operational performance of our entire airport network.

Indeed, I believe that our ‘Flight 2025’ strategic plan, launched in July 2021, will support our transformation into a more globally recognised, customer-centric operator, which offers the best standards in terms of air navigation services and the operation and development of airports, while adapting to national and local challenges, in each of our locations.

What role does Marrakech Menara Airport play in the country’s airport system?

Marrakech is Morocco’s most popular tourist city and its airport is the second largest in the Kingdom in terms of passenger traffic. In 2019, the airport accounted for more than 25% (six million) of all passengers handled across the country. It has a modern design, which stands out for its authentic architectural character and the various commodities it offers to its visitors.

In terms of what it offers passengers, it has many assets, which on several occasions have led to it ranking as one of the best airports in the world. For example, in 2022, it was named as one of the most beautiful airports in the world by the Spanish magazine GQ España. In 2021, it was chosen among the 10 best airports in the world by the American magazine Conde Nast Traveler, which I believe is a world reference magazine for leisure and travel.

Due to the tourist attraction of the ‘ochre city’, the vast majority of flights operated at Marrakech Menara Airport are tourism related and mostly from Europe, which accounts for 97% of the airport’s international air traffic.

Where is Marrakech Menara Airport today in terms of its recovery from COVID?

The airport welcomed around three million passengers in the first eight months of 2022, which represents about 65% of the total we handled in the same period in 2019.

This summer season saw the introduction of several new routes and services as well as increased frequencies on some existing routes. As a result, today, Marrakech Menara Airport is served by 30 airlines and is connected to more than 60 international destinations, which is at about 72% of pre-pandemic levels.

The bulk of the routes are to Europe, but Marrkech Menara also has services to the Middle East.

How many passengers do you expect to handle in Marrakech and across ONDA’s Moroccan airport system in 2022?

It isn’t easy to predict the future these days, but we are forecasting that traffic levels across our airport system will significantly rise this year. Indeed, we anticipate recovering around 76% of our passengers and 78% for aircraft movements compared to pre-pandemic levels. This will amount to around 19 million passengers across ONDA’s airports.

Specifically talking about the forecast for Marrakech Menara Airport, we expect it to handle around four million passengers in 2022, which will be around 63% of the total recorded in 2019.

The airports experiencing the highest recovery rate in terms of passenger traffic during the first eight months of 2022 are Tangier Ibn Batouta Airport (100% compared to the same period in 2021), Nador El Aroui Airport (108%), Oujda Angad Airport (115%) and Tetouan Airport (364%).

Airports in the north of the country have fared particularly well as they have traditionally benefited from Moroccan and African diaspora, and prolonged separations caused by the COVID crisis has only served to dramatically increase demand for this kind of traffic.

When do you expect passenger numbers to return to 2019 levels?

Prior to the pandemic, we were expriencing strong passenger traffic growth in almost all regions, in particular Marrakech, Fez, Tangier, Rabat, Nador, Oujda and Dakhla. As a result, the number of passengers in Morocco increased by an average of 9% per year over 2015-2019 period.

The upturn in traffic to Morocco was primarily driven by the remarkable progress made in the tourism and transport industries and economic growth. In aviation, the main axes of the strategy adopted by Morocco have been based on the liberalisation of air transport, the integration of the European aeronautical space, and raising airport capacity to meet current and future demand.

Preliminary forecasts suggest that passenger traffic at Marrakech Menara Airport could return to 2019’s level between 2024 and 2025, but as I am sure you appreciate, this is only a prediction, so the recovery could be faster or take a little longer.

Who are the biggest airlines at Marrakech Menara Airport and what are the most popular routes?

Five airlines account for more than 80% of passengers – Ryanair, Easyjet, Transavia France, Royal Air Maroc and Air France. The most popular route in terms of passengers recorded during the first eight months of 2022 was Marrakech-Paris, which is responsible for 20% of all international air traffic at airport. The next most popular international services to and from Marrakech are London, Madrid, Barcelona and Marseilles.

Why isn’t Marrakech a focus city of Moroccan national flag carrier, Royal Air Maroc?

This might seem a strange one to those that don’t know the Moroccan market, but the strategy of Royal Air Maroc has traditionally been to strengthen and concentrate its activity at its hub at Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport. The airline has a strong presence in West Africa and is active in western Europe. It also has routes to North America (the United States and Canada) and the Middle East (Dubai, Doha, etc) and Casablanca serves it well for these flights. Casablanca also serves as Royal Air Maroc’s domestic hub and transfer centre, so it is responsible for feeding a lot of traffic to Marrakech Menara. Royal Air Maroc is currently the fourth biggest airline at Marrakech Menara Airport.

How has ONDA responded to the trend for new touchless technology, specifically at Marrakech Menara Airport, but also at the country’s other gateways?

The health crisis has shown that the need to accelerate the digital transformation of the world’s airports is no longer a choice but an imperative. With this in mind, we have undertaken an ambitious programme for Morocco’s airports based around two main areas of focus.

The first concerns the digitisation of the passenger journey and baggage management, based on the latest technologies, such as contactless biometric technology, unique identifiers, facial recognition, etc. These systems, which are in various stages of testing and adoption around the world, validate a passenger’s identity and credentials for paperless check-in, baggage drop-off, security, immigration and boarding.

The second focus area is on the automation of airport resources management – aided by the adoption of collaborative solutions for the exchange of information between the various airport partners. Success here would mean that airport decisions are based on a complete and reliable source of shared and usable information, in real time, for all stakeholders in the airport chain.

The use of big data, the Internet of Things (loT), cloud technologies and machine learning will transform the way infrastructure are operated and maintained. This is what we are planning in the airport extension projects across Morocco and Marrakech Menara Airport is no exception.

Such technological advances will raise the capacity and operational efficiency of existing facilities and bring high added value for passengers at the same time as reducing the need to invest in costly new infrastructure.

Are there any customer services initiatives or facilities at Marrakech Menara Airport that you are particularly proud of for going the extra mile?

Firstly, it is important to emphasise that we are a service company, and the satisfaction of our passengers is our daily objective. Marrakech Menara Airport has a global Airport Service Quality (ASQ) score of 4.06, according to ACI passengers satisfaction standards, and as already mentioned, is ranked as one of the most beautiful airports in the world by some famous international magazines.

When it comes to Marrakech Menara Airport, I would say that the distinct design of the airport terminals and a host of unique facilities ensure that it can be considered as a destination in its own.

Perhaps the first thing that passengers will notice is the double-skin facades of the terminals, which help regulate the interior temperatures and prevent overheating in summer.

Indeed, Marrakech Menara Airport has a modern and singular architecture that reflects the Moroccan heritage. Its design and decoration represent a subtle blend between the modern creative touch and the traditional imprint.

The airport is characterised by its large glass dome, one of the largest in Africa. It also has an esplanade planted with arborescent lights and embellished with artistic fountains in a metal structure, combining modernity, large spaces and aesthetics, which makes it possible to generate a feeling of comfort and wellbeing and a positive experience for our passengers.

Facilities wise, Marrakech Menara Airport has a ‘walkthrough’ shopping gallery of duty-free shops that offer a diverse choice of national and international brands.

The airport also has a wide range of restaurants inspired by Moroccan gastronomy that are suitable for all tastes.

In addition, Marrakech Menara Airport, due to its proximity to the city centre, benefits from excellent intermodal connectivity (bus and train stations, highway network), which hopefully only goes to improve the airport experience for visitors.

This airport is a little showcase of ONDA’s know-how in terms of hospitality, service and the offer of shops, restaurants and entertainment.

Are there any plans to develop the airport’s key aviation infrastructure?

ONDA’s new transformation plan, ‘Flight 2025’ covers the period from 2021 to 2025 and includes several ongoing projects at Marrakech Menara Airport that are designed to achieve some quick wins that will strengthen its capacity, improve the quality of services offered to our passengers and accelerate its digital transition.

These quick wins consist of reconfiguring some spaces (check-in counters and departure screening checkpoints) in order to increase their capacity, and improving the international and domestic boarding lounges.

In the medium-term (by year 2028), the old Terminal 1 will be replaced by a new terminal with a much bigger capacity, that will allow Marrakech Menara Airport to handle around 12 million passengers per annum by 2040. This is almost double the gateway’s existing capacity.

The development plan in the medium-term also includes increasing the capacity of the existing runway, and the construction of a new control tower.

What do you hope ONDA will gain from hosting the upcoming ACI Africa/ACI World Annual General Assembly in Marrakech?

This meeting of airports is always a highlight of the year as it is a major aviation event that is very rich in exchanges.

It will allow us to showcase Marrakech and Marrakech Menara Airport to the world, catch up with old friends and make new ones in one of the best cities in the world, and give airports the opportunity to share and learn from each other.

We have a lot to talk about, particularly with regards to our experiences of more than two years of health crisis, its repercussions on the airport ecosystem, and the progress made in terms of the digitalisation of the airport journey for passengers and baggage.

The ACI Africa/ACI World Annual General Assembly will also be an opportunity for the community of world airports to mobilise its forces to handle climate change issues. Formerly relegated to the rank of ambitions, the challenges of sustainable development, social responsibility and the environment are now a global priority.

Global aviation has set a very bold commitment to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050. It is a big challenge, but the sector is determined to reduce its ecological footprint, and to succeed, we need to begin to make a difference today.

What is the appeal of airports and the aviation industry to you?

I discovered the air transport sector with Royal Air Maroc and spent 15 years with them before joining ONDA a year and a half ago. In my opinion, aviation is by far the most exciting and fascinating sector due to the diversity of the issues it deals with on a daily basis. And, as we have all experienced with COVID, it is also a sector which is very vulnerable to external hazards. The slightest problem in a given country or at a given airport has repercussions on all the airports connected to it and on all the airlines that serve it. Life is never boring.

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.

Doing the right thing

Adopting ESG reporting and management frameworks for a sustainable future is now a top priority for the world’s airports, writes ACI World’s director for sustainability and envionmental protection, Jennifer Desharnais.

Globally, airports have a long history of making commitments and taking direct action to ensure they design, construct, and operate in a way that is economically sustainable, inclusive, and socially and environmentally responsible.

This body of work is most often highlighted in airport annual reports, climate action plans, roadmaps and websites.

As environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure requirements grow, both in public and private markets and begin to cascade through supply chains, airports are working strategically to meet investors’ dynamic needs.

They are adopting comprehensive ESG reporting and management frameworks to address growing requests for information on capital project-specific and organisation-wide performance and risk mitigation.

Rightfully, airports have been rigorously identifying issues material to them and integrating ESG factors into their internal strategies and operational decisions, recognising the links between ESG performance and financial outcomes, as well as communicating with investors about their progress and risks mitigation.

This integration of ESG into core organisational strategies increasingly brings business benefits such as operational efficiency, innovation, employee engagement and supply-chain resilience, among others.

Such practices are not only necessary, but hold the potential to provide opportunities, as well as mitigate threats related to access to capital or sustainable finance.

Indeed, more and more jurisdictions are taking an interest in sustainability and ESG reporting, and with sustainable finance taxonomy, governments are starting to legislate which economic activities are considered sustainable, in the hopes of giving clarity to investors and companies, perhaps making today’s standards tomorrow’s regulations.

Airports should further learn, develop, and adopt ESG commitments around transformative practices, while closely examining and adjusting key financial disclosures to identify and clearly acknowledge systemic risks important to their organisation and investors alike.

In doing so, airports can strengthen their position as truly forward-looking organisations, defining key ESG benchmarks and linking them to their company’s purpose, while anticipating and responding to financial markets, customers, and community demands that dictate that these factors be increasingly reported, forecast, and abated before they materialise.

A pre-emptive ESG focus and embodiment within financial disclosure documents by airports can help standardise factors important to capital projects and operational activities. This can allow airports to set and continuously track, report on, and execute these internally agreed-upon metrics.

It also allows airports to create value by embedding sustainability in their organisation, using ESG engagement to sharpen strategies and build governance structures which connect to the core of what airports do, as opposed to responding to the growing and varied requests from investors, accounting, and/or auditing agencies.

As the global aviation industry faces an increasingly volatile operating environment amid shifting stakeholder demands, building trust around a strengthened approach to ESG factors can offer airports a pathway to long-term operational sustainability, competitiveness, and resilience.

ESG is a journey, and ACI’s ESG Management Best Practice, available for free on the ACI World store, aims to help airports better understand ESG and sustainability reporting, the steps they can take to start or improve reporting, and the reasons why investors are interested.

Reaching for zero

From an environmental perspective, arguably nothing is more challenging for the planet today than climate change as it requires government solutions which can enable initiatives across the globe, promoting a just and inclusive transition to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The 2018 Special Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calls for urgent action to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. Aviation is a hard to abate sector, requiring a harmonised combination of appropriate policies, access to finance, capacity building, and collaboration.

ACI member airports at a global level committed to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and urged governments to provide the necessary support in this endeavour.

Made in June 2021, it is the first net-zero aviation-sector commitment at the global level and is based on a comprehensive long-term goal feasibility assessment. ACI is also part of the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) net zero emissions by 2050 commitment made by the aviation industry in 2021.

More than 130 airports have anticipated reaching their target by 2030, or even earlier, while others by 2040. However, support is needed from governments and many other stakeholders for the planning and implementation of their decarbonisation strategies and action plans.

What’s in it for airports, the aviation industry, and beyond?

The greatest source of carbon emissions for airport operators is the energy used to power terminals and equipment. Therefore, the decarbonisation of electricity grids, which in most cases airports have a limited ability to change, will be an essential component in the success of airports in reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Renewable energy is a strategic issue for States (governments) and the global economy. The grid decarbonisation will happen unevenly across the globe and green energy could remain a scarce resource for many.

States should co-operate and consider the development of policies and mechanisms that could accelerate the deployment of renewables globally, such as power purchase agreements (PPA) and book and claim systems which could be used among stakeholders from different States.

Effective action to achieve net zero by 2050 and sustainable development will depend on the ability of airports and other stakeholders to incorporate sustainability at the core of their corporate governances, strategies, risk managements, and goals. Multi-sector

collaboration will play a critical role in ensuring a resilient aviation ecosystem capable of achieving global sustainability goals.

Decarbonisation is a necessity and the right thing to do. There is ever-increasing pressure on airports and other aviation stakeholders to deliver on sustainability and those are attached to requirements to attract and grant finance.

Sharing climate-related risks is becoming a condition for investment. This requires efforts which align mitigation and adaptation initiatives to ensure a sustainable and resilient aviation ecosystem.

Net-zero enablers: Technology, innovation, capacity building, and collaboration

Airports are also embracing technology and innovation, including accommodating new emerging technologies in the aviation market and innovative propulsion methodologies to promote a positive transformation of the aviation ecosystem.

This entails the transition to net-zero and improving the services they provide. The importance of collaboration cannot be overstated and needs to reach higher levels, as the challenge is significant and unprecedented.

The co-operation of aviation stakeholders to ensure the sustainable development of the sector is critical, particularly regarding the decarbonisation of aviation emissions.

Some airports can facilitate the deployment of sustainable alternative sources of energy onsite, especially SAF in the short to mid-term.

No country and no airport should be left behind

The challenge to decarbonise aviation is significant, but airports have committed and are taking action to decarbonise. Support from government and collaboration with stakeholders will be essential for airports to have access to renewable energy, finance, and capacity building to decarbonise globally.

Collaboration will act as a catalyst for impact by providing benefits to several stakeholders. Climate change is a global challenge; No country, and no airport should be left behind.

In line with this philosophy, ACI invited the 41st ICAO Triennial Assembly session to recognise airports’ efforts and the challenges they face to decarbonise; support airports’ work to develop and implement their net-zero roadmaps; and support increased collaboration among relevant stakeholders and actions to facilitate the availability of renewable energy, finance, and capacity building.

Game changer

ICF’s Eliot Lees and Yasar Yetiskin explain why airports need to pay attention to and play their part in the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Aircraft emissions represent the single largest source of environment damaging greenhouse gases at an airport. Indeed, while the long-term decarbonisation goals for airports focus on airport infrastructure (Scope 1), and the sources of generated power (Scope 2), more than 60% of an airport’s total carbon emissions (in some case, above 90%) can be generated from jet fuel combustion (Scope 3).

However, reducing Scope 3 emissions is not in the direct control of airports, and so shaping new practices and policies to address this key area requires creativity and imagination by all aviation stakeholders – including by airport management.

The aviation world is looking to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as the single most significant action to decarbonise aviation by 2050. SAF is a ‘drop-in’ jet fuel, meaning that airlines will be using existing aircraft and aircraft technology to achieve their goals by blending SAF and fossil-based jet fuel.

However, currently it can only be blended up 50%, due to limitations related to lack of aromatics content in the SAF. But new generation jet engines and aircraft will be able to utilise up to 100% SAF, which will allow for greater uplift.

While electric and hydrogen powered aircraft show promise to fundamentally change aviation – neither is a near-term solution, and neither would move the sustainability dial by the level needed to reach the overarching goal. Therefore, the aviation industry decarbonisation plan expects that up to 71% of the industry’s decarbonising effort will come from SAF by 2050.

While the end product of SAF is 98% comparable to today’s jet fuel, SAF can be made from a variety of environmentally friendly feedstock such as used cooking oils, plants and wood by-product, alcohol, municipal waste, industrial waste, carbon dioxide, air and even water.

These feedstocks can be converted into SAF through a variety of chemical processes that will ultimately lead to the end product – either sustainable jet fuel or renewable diesel. The chemistry to achieve SAF is well understood.

The challenge to decarbonise the aviation industry is scaling up the SAF refining processes to provide the volumes that are needed – and being able to produce SAF at a price competitive with jet fuel. This is the challenge facing the aviation and travel industry.

Over the past three years, SAF has captured the imagination of the aviation industry, as well as the focus of airline press releases. However, the truth of the matter is that we still have a very long way to go.

In 2021, only 80 million litres of SAF was utilised across the world by many airlines, which represented less than 0.02% of the global fossil-based jet fuel consumption. Nevertheless, the production of SAF is anticipated to dramatically change over the next several years, as seen by the figures in the top chart on page 21.

Many airlines have announced commitments to purchase SAF, so the aviation industry will see a rapid ramp up in use in the very near-term.

Many countries across the world are introducing SAF policies to enable rapid scale of SAF by 2030. These policies mostly focus on either supporting SAF supply through incentives or stimulating SAF demand through mandates.

The US has been introducing incentive-based policy measures (carrots) to support SAF production, aiming to reduce production costs. In addition, the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides operational subsidies to users based on the emission reductions provided from the SAF, and capital grants.

Currently, California is the most advantageous state to produce SAF and uplift SAF molecules, due to availability of various incentives. However, other states are also planning to introduce SAF specific policies. This means increased SAF related activity at the airports in the states with strong SAF policies.

In the US, the major airlines have pledged to reach 11 billion litres of SAF consumed by 2030. This ambitious seven-year goal that will require close collaboration between airlines, fuel producers, governments, and other stakeholders (including airports).

To achieve these goals, SAF producers will need to construct new refineries (modify others), prove out the commercial viability of various feedstock/processing/delivery at a scale that can deliver on what the aviation industry needs.

ASTM

The SAF that has been used to date has been using a single processing approach called HEFA. The feedstocks used in this process are used cooking oil, soybean oil and fat rendering.

The challenge of this approach is that there is not sufficient feedstock from these commodities to support the industry goals for 2030. So, other feedstock and processes must be used. Some of these are coming online in the next several years.

The EU has been adopting a different approach, by proposing mandates (sticks). Starting from 2025, airlines departing from the EU airports will have to utilise SAF. It has already started with small percentages in some counties, but by 2030, 5% SAF utilisation will be mandatory.

Although physical SAF will be available at limited airports, unlike the US, the EU is working a book and claim based mechanism, meaning that airlines will be able to take off with conventional jet fuel, as long as they buy the environmental benefits of SAF separately.

Other regions, including Middle East and Asia, have also been proposing policies to support the SAF scale up, with a focus on their region’s specific opportunities and challenges.

Max. Blending Limit

For example, due to lack of biogenic feedstocks, and the cheap renewable energy availability, the UAE has been exclusively exploring alternative ways to produce SAF.

In that context, the World Economic Forum published a Power-toLiquid roadmap for the UAE in collaboration with ICF and the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.

The map above provides a snapshot of some of the most high-profile SAF policies either in place or being planned across the globe.

While airlines and governments have undertaken the primary responsibility to adopt SAF, forward thinking airports are considering what role airports can play in encouraging SAF usage.

There have been some tentative steps taken in this area. For example, in the past few years, Swedish airport operator, Swedavia, has organised a group of concerned national and local governmental stakeholders to contribute money towards a SAF incentive funding pool.

The Swedavia SAF incentive programme enters into agreement with airlines to support a portion of the cost differential between SAF and conventional jet fuel.

Another European airport is considering a differentiated landing fee scheme which provide reduced landing fees for SAF powered flights.

In the US, airports are looking at buying airline issued SAF Certificates (offset rights) and still others are looking towards an innovative SAF Certificate Clearing House programme that will facilitate corporate travel departments to offset business travel from airlines using SAF consumed at that specific airport. More airport initiatives of this sort are needed.

Effectively tackling Scope 3 emissions through SAF is the key to decarbonising airports. While airports will likely not be the primary driver behind the technical development and adoption of SAF, airports still can play a role in the process – by designing innovative incentive programmes, by establishing local mandates, and by serving as a catalyst to focus aviation stakeholders to move SAF consumption forward.

Leading by example

Being one of the world’s most environment friendly and sustainable gateways is a top priority for Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, writes CEO, Videh Kumar Jaipuriar.

Airports have always been in the spotlight when it comes to their impact on the environment and the steps taken by them to operate in a sustainable manner, and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is no exception.

Fortunately, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) – the GMR Infrastructure-led consortium that manages and operates DEL – is 100% committed to being at the forefront of environmental protection and sustainable development.

Indeed, Delhi Airport has integrated sustainability into its operations and infrastructure and, over the years, has remained focused on upholding high service standards and operational excellence.

Today, Delhi Airport has become the benchmark for other airports to emulate, especially when it comes to sustainability. It is set to become a Net Zero Carbon Emission Airport by 2030, for example, way ahead of the IPCC’s 2050 target adopted by most major industries across the world.

The sustainability framework of Delhi Airport is focused on:

• Creating economic value

• Delivering service excellence

• Caring for the environment

• Improving quality of life.

As a result, DIAL strives to be a leader in environment sustainability management by adopting sustainable development practices, ‘green’ infrastructure and environmentally friendly Initiatives.

In fact, after meticulously monitoring the global and national sustainability requirements and commitments for the airport business, we have incorporated them into our business strategy.

So, DIAL follows the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2030), ICAO’s environmental objectives, and all other relevant governmental initiatives designed to transform airports into a more sustainable and environment friendly business.

At Delhi Airport we have whole heartedly embraced ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme, which is the only global framework for airports to manage and reduce carbon emissions.

I believe that Delhi Airport was one of the first gateways in the region to be accredited and, in 2016, this led to us becoming the first airport in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve Level 3+ ‘Neutrality’ status.

But we didn’t stop there and, in 2020, became the first in AsiaPacific – and only the second in the world – to achieve Level 4+ ‘Transformation’ status in the programme.

As I said earlier, we are now working towards the goal of becoming a net zero carbon emissions airport by 2030, and in line with this strategy, DIAL has initiated a host of environmental sustainability initiatives to further lower the airport's carbon footprint.

These have included the use of a ‘TaxiBot’ to tow aircraft between gates and the apron/airfield, and improving operational efficiency through Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM).

The TaxiBot alone has helped us reduce our CO2 emissions by more 1,154 tonnes since being adopted by Delhi Airport in May 2019, saving the airlines in excess of 365 tonnes of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) in the process.

A-CDM, of course, not only improves air traffic flows and capacity management at airports by reducing delays and improving the predictability of events, but it also helps to optimise the utilisation of resources.

On the airfield itself, I would like to note that we take every precaution to reduce contamination and emissions, particularly with regards to the safeguards built into Delhi Airport’s massive 16 kilometre long fuel hydrant system that prevent soil contamination, water pollution and air emissions and support safe airport operations by reducing leakage, spillage and evaporation losses.

Elsewhere, we have installed Bridge Mounted Equipment (BME) in 78 airbridges in Terminal 3. The bridge-mounted equipment consists of a fixed electrical ground power unit (FEGPU) and Pre-Conditioned Air (PCA) that effectively making noisy, CO2 polluting Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) redundant. We will be installing an additional 22 BMEs in Terminal 1 as a part of its development.

DIAL has also introduced electric bus services for transporting passenger around the airport site. Metro line trains provide fast, convenient and environmentally-friendly connections between all three terminals and, ultimately, New Delhi.

Another noteworthy strategy of DIAL is our commitment to building ‘green’ and resilient infrastructure at Delhi Airport. Terminal 3, for example, was the first LEED Gold certified terminal building in India under the ‘New Construction’ category and achieved Platinum rating from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) in 2016.

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) followed suit in 2019 when Delhi Airport’s iconic Terminal 3 became the first airport terminal in the world to receive its Platinum certification for Performance Excellence in Electricity Renewal (PEER).

We are now redeveloping Terminal 1 as per LEED standard, which we expect to be be commissioned in 2023. The revamp will increase its capacity from 20 million to 40 million passengers per annum and integrate the Arrivals and Departures facilities under one roof.

Delhi Airport is also the first airport in the world to have adopted an ISO 50001:2018 certified Energy Management System. This system improves the energy performance of the organisation by making better use of the energy-intensive assets, and through these concerted efforts, DIAL has reduced both fuel and electricity consumption over the years.

Our commitment to a green and clean environment was the motivation behind the installation of a 7.84MW solar power plant on the airport site.

DIAL has also signed a long-term power purchase agreement with a hydropower plant. The plant, expected to be commissioned by 2022-23, will supply the entire electricity need of the airport, ensuring a clean energy supply to Delhi Airport.

Sustainable water management is another key focus area of DIAL. As of today, DIAL has around 350 rainwater harvesting structures and this will increase significantly under the current airport expansion plans.

DIAL actually has the facilities to store 6.9 million litres rainwater and is installing another 250+ water harvesting structures.

In addition, the 16.6 million litres of water per pay (MLD) zero liquid discharge sewage treatment plant of DIAL ensures that all sewage water is treated and reused for applications such as horticulture, toilet flushing and HVAC make up water.

DIAL has also initiated an organisation-wide ‘waste to wealth’ programme to enhance the sustainability of waste management in general.

To facilitate this programme, DIAL is currently in the process of developing an Integrated Solid Waste Management Centre (ISWMC) consisting of a material recovery facility and biogas plant on the airport site.

The plant is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2022 and will have an initial waste processing capacity of 12 tonnes per day.

In line with the Indian government’s move to a Single-Use Plastic Free Country by 2022 and our own commitments to protecting the ecosystem, DIAL became single use plastic free airport in 2019. India’s CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development recognised this achievement in February 2020 when we were officially certified as a Single-Use Plastic Free Airport (SUPFA).

Our ever evolving efforts to protect the environment and ensure the sustainable development of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport have also led to a number of other awards and accolades.

In addition to those mentioned above, sustainability accolades awared to DIAL in the last five years have included:

• Winning a prestigious Green Airports Recognition award for Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport from ACI-Asia Pacific for five years in a row between 2017 and 2021.

• DIAL being rated as a ‘Climate Oriented’ company under Climate Action Programme (CAP 2 Degree) by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in both 2019 and 2020.

• Winning the National Award for Excellence in Energy Management from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) every year since 2018.

• Receiving a National Water Award 2019 from the Indian government.

• Being presented with a water conservation award from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) in 2022.

Talking rubbish!

Waste management practices are critical to the sustainability journey of airports, writes Frost & Sullivan’s aerospace and defence research analyst, Abhilash Abraham.

The aviation sector's impact on the environment is under constant scrutiny, partially due to the high volumes of waste it generates and its perceived inability to dispose of or recycle it. Aviation stakeholders, such as airports, are largely focusing their sustainability investments on long-term goals such as emissionfree and zero-waste businesses.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic reduced the passenger traffic at airports during 2020-2021, which led to a corresponding drop in waste generated at airports. But this period saw a significant increase in the biological and surgical waste, largely in the form of PPE kits.

Zero-waste airports

Regulators and governments are increasingly taking note of the large amounts of waste being generated, and they are likely to implement stringent guidelines for waste management across industries.

Investing in efficient waste management will further improve airports’ sustainability efforts. Zero waste is a long-term aspirational goal for airports to significantly reduce their environmental impact.

Reducing waste generation, enhancing recycling capacities, reducing waste disposal quantities, and efficient waste sorting, collection and distribution processes are the critical tenets of the zero-waste strategy.

Improving the efficiency of existing resources is key to the implementation of zero-waste initiatives. The growing passenger traffic and expanding airport infrastructure will lead to an increased amount of waste.

Airports must strategically plan and efficiently allocate resources to reduce waste generation in such an operating environment. A successful zero-waste strategy will ensure that no waste is completely disposed.

Minimal waste should be diverted to landfills or incineration centres. The goal is to recycle the entirety of the waste, which can serve other purposes.

Waste disposal methods

As per the World Bank’s pre-pandemic data, nearly 33% of global waste is dumped in open spaces. Landfills represent more than 35% of waste disposal; wastes disposed of in sanitary and controlled landfills contribute to around 10%.

Nearly 13% of global waste is recycled, and approxiomately 11% is incinerated. Recycling, sanitary and controlled landfills and incineration are the key waste disposal and treatment methods followed by major airports in partnership with local governments, municipal operators, and other aviation stakeholders such as retail partners, airlines and airport ground handling companies.

Major airports with significant financial capabilities are investing in niche machines and solutions that will enable them to efficiently convert waste to energy.

These will gradually allow airports to enhance their waste conversion rates (which indicates the capability of the airport to convert collected waste to energy) and improve their recycling processes.

Waste diversion rates are a key indicator of the firm’s waste management capabilities. This denotes the share of waste that is recycled for other purposes from the total waste that is disposed of via landfills or other methods.

Below are five global examples of some of the pioneering waste management practices carried out by major gateways in Qatar, the UAE, Canada, UK and India.

Airport: Hamad International Airport (DOH)

Country: Qatar

Region: Middle East

Passenger traffic in 2019: 38.8 million

Passenger traffic in 2021: 17.7 million

• The airport recycles landscaping wastes to generate organic compost, which can produce more than 3,000 tons per annum, which will be used for in-house green initiatives and sold to outside parties.

• It partners with the Minister of Municipality to enhance wastewater treatment and recycling processes.

• The airport installed a wastewater treatment plant in 2014 to process the entirety of the produced wastewater.

Airport: Dubai International Airport (DXB)

Country: UAE

Region: Middle East

Passenger traffic in 2019: 86.4 million

Passenger traffic in 2021: 29.1 million

• The airport has set goals to reduce more than 50% of its waste directed to landfills by the middle of 2023.

• It has invested in a food waste treatment facility to process more than 2,000 tons of food waste to achieve the stated diversion goal.

• The airport has also set up an initiative to process the entirety of cooking oil from retail outlets and process it to generate biodiesel fuel.

Airport: Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

Country: Canada

Region: North America

Passenger traffic in 2019: 26.4 million

Passenger traffic in 2021: 7.1 million

• The airport set a deadline to divert nearly half of the waste generated from its terminals by 2020. It was able to accelerate and achieve this goal in 2016.

• YVR is now focusing on transitioning to a zero-waste airport and has increased the goal of the share of waste that is to be diverted from landfills.

• It has invested in artificial intelligence to assist in accurate waste sorting.

Airport: Gatwick Airport (LGW)

Country: UK

Region: Europe

Passenger traffic in 2019: 46.6 million

Passenger traffic in 2021: 6.3 million

• In 2018, it was the first airport to receive Zero Waste to Landfill certification from the Carbon Trust for actively diverting its non-hazardous waste from landfill.

• In 2019, the airport recycled more than 40% of its waste.

• The airport has invested more than $3 million in developing a waste-to-energy conversion facility. This facility enables the airport to process and reduce waste in-house.

Airport: Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport (BLR)

Country: India

Region: Asia-Pacific

Passenger traffic in 2019: 33.7 million

Passenger traffic in 2021: 16.1 million

• In 2018, the airport started investing in developing a waste management system in-house. The project was developed in partnership with the environmental technology firm Ekolog.

• The system has the capacity to process approximately 20 tons of waste daily, with the potential to expand the capacity to up to 60 tons of daily waste.

• The facility will convert the collected organic waste to bioenergy, which can power in-house processes, and deliver more than a million kilograms of compost yearly.

Conclusion

Airports will need to facilitate the growing passenger traffic within fixed capacity constraints, which will impact the passenger experience. This is a priority for airports and airlines, and efficient passenger processing and waste management will be critical in terms of achieving an optimum passenger experience.

The anticipated rise in passenger traffic will lead to increased investments in waste management, and airports will invest in in-house capabilities to achieve zero-waste status.

Currently, investments in waste management are not a priority, and only the financially capable airports that have in-house capabilities are investing in these solutions.

Waste management is a small segment of the aviation ecosystem, and operational expenditure in waste management will account for a minor share of an airport’s overall operating costs. This expense is highly correlated to the operational passenger traffic at the airport.

Airports will require high capital investment for investing in machinery, solutions, and processes for waste recycling and waste-to-energy conversion. All the leading airports will be required to enhance their collaboration and partner with other stakeholders to support their waste management efforts.

Eliminating emissions

WSP’s aviation strategy and policy advisor and programme administrator of ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme, Leonie Dobbie, updates us on the take up, development and evolution of the global initiative.

Air travel has become more democratic, morphing towards a one size fits all at costs which are not sustainable, however defined. Until the outbreak of COVID-19, air travel was one of the fastest growing sectors in the world bringing enhanced connectivity, economic growth and social welfare to many.

But the price for meeting the demand from a world that was eager to fly was an unacceptable growth in carbon emissions coupled with calls for the decarbonisation of air travel.

COVID-19 has reduced the number of passengers at the world’s airports by 10.2 billion (ACI World). With the ongoing lifting of many health measures and the relaxation of travel restrictions, demand for air travel is increasing again, albeit unevenly in different world markets.

But the scenario has changed. As Willie Walsh, director general of IATA, has pertinently observed, “The post COVID-19 reconnect will be on a clear path towards net zero”.

This means that if we want to limit global warming to below 1.5°C, we need to attain net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest, between now and then, and some 21.2 gigatons of carbon need to be abated by aviation, according to IATA calculations.

By definition, net zero implies reducing absolute CO2 emissions from aviation to the furthest extent possible and reducing any remaining emissions that cannot be eliminated at source through solutions such as carbon capture and storage. Measures which are largely untried in aviation.

Here we are talking ‘climate neutrality’, not merely ‘carbon neutrality’.

Airports have a long history of engagement in climate action. Indeed, ACI EUROPE’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme administered by WSP has, since 2009, been encouraging airports to voluntarily reduce GHG Scope 1 and 2 emissions under their control as well as selected Scope 3 emissions from their operational activities.

To date, some 412 ACI member airports in every ACI region are airport carbon accredited at one of the six levels of the programme. Two new programmes levels reflecting net zero goals are now under development.

ACI EUROPE's comprehensive sustainability strategy encompasses a number of specific climate targets, including a commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions under their control at the latest by 2050.

As of April 2022, 246 European airports have signed ACI EUROPE’s net zero pledge, of which 94 have set 2030 as a target date for achieving the goal. Ten airports in the Swedavia airport group have already reached net zero carbon emissions for their operations.

Airports therefore are a key enabler of industry wide efforts to stabilise and reduce carbon emissions.

Industry wide, the strategy to reach net zero is to abate as much CO2 as possible through sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) use, new aircraft technology, more efficient airport operations and infrastructure, and by developing new zero emissions sources such as electric and hydrogen power.

An estimated 1.8 gigatons of carbon will need to be abated in 2050. It is thought that 65% of this would come from SAF. New propulsion technology such as hydrogen would account for a further 13%, with efficiency improvements making up a further 3%. Carbon capture and storage around 11 % and offsetting 8%.

Much needs to happen to reach net zero emissions by 2050 or earlier. The first step is to move from a ‘business as usual’ scenario by developing clear cut solutions to decarbonise aviation. The second is implementation, and the third is communicating what industry is doing and has achieved.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has called for “urgent and drastic action to limit global warming” in line with the Paris Agreement, including making “unprecedented and deep emissions reductions” in all sectors. If this is accomplished, global CO2 emissions could decline by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.

Airports are playing their part in this global effort. Through ACA, two new accreditation levels (Level 4/4+) have been adopted reflecting Paris Agreement pathways. As of September 2022, 43 airports had become accredited at these levels.

Depending on the success of any decarbonisation policies and actions, the future of air travel could look very different by 2030 or 2050. A key consideration is whether all stakeholders – including governments – can escalate and speed up the options to keep flying. SAF, technology, fuel and other operational efficiencies or offsetting will all play a part.

But any ‘future’ that would involve continued growth in air travel, including the expansion of airport capacity to meet such growth, and emissions that are greater than today in 2050, would make nonsense of any net zero goals and their accompanying abatement measures.

Queen Alia achieves ‘Transition’ status in ACA programme

Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport has become the first gateway in the Middle East and one of only 21 in the world to achieve Level 4+ ‘Transition’ status in ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.

The Amman gateway notes that it was awarded the certificate following a “rigorous review of its carbon management processes”, which it says align with global climate goals to reach a net-zero carbon status by 2050.

It has established a road map to reduce CO2 emissions from fuel and electricity consumption and the ongoing responsible compensation of residual CO2 emissions under its control in line with the global airport industry’s response to climate change.

“Since 2013, Queen Alia has been setting an example of what it means to be a climate-friendly airport and has been the first in the Middle East to achieve ‘Neutrality’,” enthused Nicolas Claude, CEO of operator, Airport International Group (AIG).

“Such a proud feat is instrumental in highlighting not only Queen Alia, but also Jordan, on the global aviation stage. Given the deliberate industry-wide shift towards environmental best practices, we at AIG are keen on building an even more sustainable and responsible international airport.

“On this note, I extend my sincerest thanks and congratulations to our team, partners and stakeholders on yet another distinguished milestone and for continuously going above and beyond to ensure QAIA remains a trailblazing, sustainable and tourism-enabling gateway within the region.”

ACI Asia-Pacific's director general, Stefano Baronci, said: “It is an impressive accomplishment in an era of unprecedented challenges for the aviation industry. The fact that airports, regardless of their size, are demonstrating a strong commitment to operate in a more sustainable way to protect the environment is indeed a very positive sign.”

Good job?

Emma Robinson considers some of the challenges the industry will have to address in order to motivate new talent to enter the airport sector.

Iam

sure most airport bosses will agree, 2020-22 has been the most difficult period the aviation industry has ever faced, with the travel disruption of summer 2022 primarily mainly due to staff shortages.

Granted, the bulk of the lost workforce was unavoidable, due to the state of the world. Tough business conditions led to difficult choices, but a big slip-up was cutting staff rather than taking advantage of furlough schemes.

Employees who were on the minimum wage left the industry, got a job elsewhere, and realised they were better off. They might still have a lack of job satisfaction in their new role, but more than likely, they now work more social hours and have a better work-life balance.

People don’t want to commute like they used to, meaning that if a job can’t be done remotely, there is now a limited pool of people who live in the area that may be suitable.

Rising costs and pressures on margins are exacerbating the problem. You can’t necessarily afford to pay people more – a solution which would attract better candidates. You also have a high level of middle management burnout, due to pressures from senior leadership teams and junior team members, which can feed into a stressful environment.

Some of the progress is out of the industry’s hands, but the sad fact of the matter is that the industry in general has a culture problem.

Leadership is incredibly important for the culture of a business, from the way you speak to and trust staff, to their working environment –staff need to feel inspired when they come to work.

There needs to be a radical shift in thinking. The best talent is up to eight times more productive than an average worker. Offering a higher basic salary will help to attract those from an industry where they are used to working hard, such as manufacturing or waste management, and incentivise them further with bonus structures based on performance.

For someone working in baggage handling this may be the number of pieces of luggage handled in an hour, whilst in retail it could be sales per head. This goes hand-in-hand with the need for investment in better tech, facilitating the smart tracking of KPIs without intrusion.

But people are not just driven by money. They are also driven by autonomy, opportunity, and learning. People want some form of control over when they work. They may want to work four days rather than five, so they can look after their children.

This type of thinking has been lost on an industry which, to date, has mostly been bound by inflexible working arrangements.

People also want to learn new things. Training doesn’t have to be done in the same way it has always been done. It can be exciting, and it can be tailored to the demographic it needs to attract. Cross-functional training and learning from other departments is motivating for people.

Another factor is purpose. People like to know that what they’re doing contributes to a higher purpose. If they understand and believe in it, they can get behind it.

The industry must also convince talented young people – i.e. Generation Z – that there are opportunities for lifetime careers within the airport sector.

Degree apprenticeships are a perfect opportunity to attract the young leaders of the future, and these are people of a generation that don’t want to be saddled with university debt.

But there needs to be a strong and clear message to people entering the industry; you really can make it all the way to the top, and you can have fun whilst you’re doing it.

About the author

Emma Robinson is founder of Red Diamond Executive, a specialist in headhunting for the aviation sector.

Brisbane Airport in Australia recently held BNE Careers Expo in a bid to recruit 2,000 new staff.

Going the extra mile

Airport World reports on a milestone achievement for Incheon International Airport and some of the highlights of the recent Customer Experience Global Summit in Kraków.

Seoul’s

Incheon International Airport (ICN) has become the first airport in the world to achieve the new Level 5 status in ACI’s Airport Customer Experience Accreditation programme.

Incheon dominated ACI World’s annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) customer service excellence awards in the early years, being named the Best Airport in the World every year between 2005 and 2016, which led to it becoming one of the first gateways inducted into the ASQ Hall of Fame.

Incheon International Airport Corporation’s president and CEO, Kyung Wook Kim, said: “It is a great honour for Incheon to be accredited as the first Level 5 airport, which is the top level of the programme.

“This proves that we have put a lot of effort into bettering the customer experience and shows our focus on exceptional customer service. We will continue providing experiential values to our passengers, going beyond their expectations.”

Incheon completed the pilot phase of Level 5 accreditation in July 2022. ACI World notes that through remote and on-site verification, Incheon successfully demonstrated a strong customer-centric culture, uniting the airport community in a human and collaborative approach.

ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, enthused: “We are grateful for Incheon Airport’s participation in the pilot of Level 5 Accreditation in our Airport Customer Experience Accreditation programme – which reinforces a passenger-centric culture supported by ACI.

“Congratulations to the whole airport community at Incheon, who collectively demonstrated remarkable engagement, unity, and enthusiasm in improving the customer experience.

“The airport’s management should also be commended for leading by example in terms of their level of engagement in and dedication to customer experience from the top.”

The award was presented to Incheon Airport during an awards ceremony at the ACI Customer Experience Global Summit in Kraków, Poland.

‘Re/humanizing the airport experience’ was the theme of the summit itself, which proved to be a great success with over 400 senior airport executives, civil aviation authority representatives, airport specialists, and related business executives descending on Kraków for the always popular event.

Delegates were welcomed by ACI World's de Oliveira and host and president of the Board of Kraków Airport, Radosław Włoszek, along with the Polish Minister of Infrastructure, Andrzej Adamczyk, and Secretary of State, Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, Marcin Horała.

ACI World’s de Oliveira spoke on the interconnectedness of customer experience within the airport complex, how the pandemic has affected consumer behaviour, and the importance of effective management tools.

“While the pandemic has had the effect of accelerating the digitalisation and implementation of touchless processes within airports, great customer and employee experience depends on the human factor,” he said.

“Evolving customer experience excellence is the outcome of the work of many different stakeholders and technologies deployed within the airport complex.

“This truly highlights the importance of resources that can help airports retain and strengthen their competitive advantage, such as the ACI Airport Customer Experience Accreditation programme that provides a 360-degree view of customer experience management.”

Włoszek noted: “It is a great honour for Kraków Airport – the largest regional airport in Poland – to host the fourth edition of the ACI Customer Experience Global Summit. Kraków Airport has always focused on safety, quality, and high standards of services.

“Recent years have shown the importance of these priorities and airports’ quick response to changing circumstances.

“Providing the best customer experience is at the core of Kraków Airport’s daily activities and its commitment to the wellbeing of its passengers and employees has been acknowledged by numerous industry initiatives including the ACI Airport Health Accreditation programme, ACI Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards, and the ACI Voice of the Customer recognition.”

The opening sessions included a keynote speech from Steven Van Belleghem, a global thought leader and international best-selling author in the field of customer experience.

Travel technology company Amadeus sponsored the prestigious ASQ Awards and Airport Customer Experience Accreditation Ceremony during the Gala Dinner (supported by Kraków Airport), which took place at the Polish Aviation Museum.

ACI World’s annual ASQ Awards recognise airport excellence in customer experience worldwide based on data from ASQ’s renowned Departures and Arrivals surveys.

Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation programme

In support of ACI’s advocacy for a more inclusive, equitable, and accessible air transport system for all, it has launched what it calls the first-of-its-kind Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation programme.

The programme provides a continuous path of improvement for airports in the area of accessibility for passengers with

disabilities. The accreditation is designed to help airports measure, evaluate, and improve their accessibility management and culture.

Developed by ACI with input from airport members, industry partners, and accessibility advocacy groups such as Universal Access, the Rick Hansen Foundation, Mima Group, Easy Travel Seat, and Customer Centric Consulting, the programme is based on existing international best practices and recommendations, including those put forward in the ACI Airport and Persons with Disability Handbook.

“Up to 15% of the world’s population has a disability. Airports need to be ready for the increase of elderly passengers with reduced mobility and travellers with visible and non-visible disabilities,” noted de Oliveira.

“As such, ACI and our industry partners are making accessibility a priority in different ways from advocacy to guidance. The new Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation programme provides our members with an initiation into the path of continuous accessibility improvement at airports.

“We are pleased to have received input from accessibility advocacy groups as we work towards the common goal of improving accessibility. We also thank ICAO for their support of the programme.”

ICAO Secretary General, Juan Carlos Salazar, said: “Accessibility enhancement is an important priority for international air transport, and this new ACI programme fully aligns with current ICAO policy relating to the transport of persons with reduced mobility.

“This is a very timely development given that five new ICAO standards on accessibility will become applicable in November of this year, in addition to ongoing work on new accessibility guidance being developed by our Facilitation Panel.

“I wish to congratulate ACI on the very inclusive approach it has taken in developing this essential new accreditation for world airports.”

Incheon International Airport will host next year’s ACI Customer Experience Global Summit in South Korea in September 2023.

Wonder walls

Orlando International Airport is reimaging the passenger experience with a series of architecturally scaled immersive art installations dedicated to original and interactive content, writes Joe Bates.

OrlandoInternational Airport’s Terminal C is not only one of the world’s newest terminals, it is also one of the most unique in terms of its real-time, interactive and immersive storytelling approach to the digital artwork installed across its facilities.

The bulk of the artwork has been specifically created for the new $2.7 billion terminal and explores the knowns and unknowns of greater Central Florida through a multimedia experience.

The artworks were commissioned as part of the new terminal’s experiential media environment (EME) project, which was a collaborative effort involving the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, Gentilhomme Studio, Sardi Design, Burns Engineering, MRA International Group, Hahn International, SACO, Smart Monkeys, Electrosonic and others.

‘Fantastic Orlando’, ‘Hide and Seek’, ‘Highwaymen’, ‘Manatees’, ‘Red Planet’, ‘Space VAB’, ‘Sunrise’ and ‘Water Fall’ are spread across two dedicated art areas known as the Moment Vault and Windows on Orlando.

Gentilhomme’s Orlando EME creative director, Thibaut Duverneix, says that ‘Red Planet’ celebrates “Florida’s legacy of space exploration by transporting travellers on an unexpected journey to Mars”.

He notes: “As they move through the Moment Vault, passengers transform into transparent entities that attract sand and dust as their bodies are detected through 3D motion tracking. Their silhouette on screen renders in real time.”

‘Fantastic Orlando’ features a capsule that invites passengers to step into Central Florida’s ecosystem without having to leave the airport. It is described as a colourful surrealist tableau that floats under and above water to highlight iconic architectural structures, nature, and historical sites across the three massive screens inside the Moment Vault.

According to Duverneix, ‘Hide and Seek’ uses state-of-the-art technology “to bring humans together in ways previously unimaginable”. He explains: “Hide and Seek whisks travellers into a mystical silhouette of fireflies that is controlled by their body movements, using real time multi-user 3D motion-tracking. The result is an enchanting experience that offers travellers unexpected moments of magic.”

‘Highwaymen’ is arguably the most traditional of the displays as it features three paintings that have been photographed in high resolution and then split in several layers to create animations in depth and movements, matching the horizon line to create continuity over the three screens that make up Windows on Orlando.

In reference to ‘Manatees’, Duverneix says: “Our team travelled to over twenty locations across Central Florida to capture live action content for a handful of the video capsules. This would be incomplete without visiting one of Florida’s most famous underwater creatures, the manatees, in Crystal River.

“Inside the Moment Vault, the gentle giants gracefully meander across the three curved screens as ribbons of light flicker through the waters and schools of fish glimmer by, creating an immersive and contemplative atmosphere. The capsule was filmed using an underwater 360 degree immersive approach.

Elsewhere, ‘Waterfall Wall’’ is designed in the style of traditional stonework fountains that blend in with its enclosing architecture; ‘Space VAB’ features a rocket launch from the nearby Kennedy Space Center; and ‘Sunrise’ is dedicated to Florida’s reknown beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Describing the power of public art media, Gentilhomme notes: “Public art media provides thought-provoking moments that transform one’s relationship with the spaces you navigate. Through interactivity, the project enables the passersby to connect not only with their physical environment, but to also explore the history and culture of the area that surrounds them.”

Cutting edge cleaning

Brain Corp’s chief revenue officer, Michel Spruijt, explains why he believes that autonomous cleaning robots are here to stay at the world’s airports.

How long have autonomous cleaning robots been around and, to your knowledge, when were they first deployed at an airport?

Autonomous cleaning robots have been around since the mid 1990s. At that time, they were expensive, and most applications were not within industrial settings. In 2015, industrial grade floor cleaning robotic equipment started to emerge. Acceptance has been rapid since autonomous solutions have become more affordable, and building operations have needed to address labour shortages.

We first deployed autonomous floorcare equipment in an airport environment back in 2017. Airports are ideal operating environments for autonomous scrubbers due to the amount of time required to clean large open spaces.

How do autonomous cleaning robots work – i.e. do they follow pre-programmed cleaning routes and programmes or are they controlled by humans?

There are a few different approaches to autonomous navigation, some more effective than others, depending on the application. Brain Corp uses the ‘teach and repeat’ method for training its cleaning robots. It’s a simple two-step process that can be learned in a matter of minutes

First, the operator tells the robot where to clean by manually driving the route they would like it to repeat. The robot remembers the path driven and optimises the route during the recording process. Second, after the route is saved, the operator brings the robot back to its

starting point and uses the on-screen menu to select the pre-saved route that they would like to run. The robot will then follow the path the operator trained, navigating the space autonomously, and alerting the operator when it’s finished.

What are they capable of cleaning?

This depends on the type of robot. Commercial robotic floor care machines are capable of cleaning most types of floors – from autonomously scrubbing hard floors to vacuuming soft carpeted floors. Each manufacturer has unique specifications relating to battery duration, water tank capacity, cleaning features, etc.

Are there many different types of autonomous cleaning robots with different capabilities?

Yes, there are a variety of autonomous cleaning robots on the market today. Some are purpose built with features that were specifically developed to accommodate certain environments. Brain Corp specifically powers robotic floor scrubbers and vacuum cleaners.

Why should airports consider investing in and deploying autonomous cleaning robots – what are the benefits?

I would say they offer increased cleaning efficiency, consistency and performance; they provide proof of clean; and they support employees and reduce labour costs.

Autonomous cleaning robots allow airports to leave the frequent, methodical and repetitive floor scrubbing to robots – freeing up more time for cleaning teams to focus on the critical and highly-visible cleaning protocols, such as wipe-downs and disinfection for high-touch surfaces. Additionally, the consistent performance of autonomous cleaning robots help give airports confidence that facilities are being cleaned thoroughly and properly, every time.

In terms of proof of the work they’ve done, autonomous cleaning robots feature integrated data capture technology that delivers real-time performance and utilisation tracking. Airports can verify cleaning has been done – and done correctly – to deliver proof of coverage, support compliance and ultimately drive better overall cleaning performance.

When it comes to supporting employees and lowering labour costs, autonomous cleaning robots lift the burden of monotonous and time-consuming cleaning tasks, allowing staff to take on more engaging work, from operating robots to customer service, which can help mitigate staff turnover and even potentially reduced high costs of equipment damage from operator error during manual operation.

In terms of an investment and ROI, how long do they last on average?

The answer to this is heavily dependent on how robots are integrated into processes. Our focus is on providing ongoing software updates that improve machine performance and provide customers with value throughout the entire lifespan of owning one of our robots. Regular updates to Brain Corp’s AI software, BrainOS, consistently deliver new features, usability improvements, security updates and other autonomous navigation enhancements. This ensures that customers’ robots get even smarter over time and continue generating an ROI.

Are they meant to replace human labour?

Autonomous cleaning robots directly address the supply-demand imbalance presented by rising traveller expectations – from clean

facilities to customer service – and limited labour resources. For the most part, they’re working alongside human employees to make cleaning teams more efficient. They are freeing employees to focus on more complex, strategic cleaning initiatives and can help to improve employee job satisfaction.

How do people react to them in general?

Travellers are now more hyper-sensitive to the cleanliness, health and safety of airport terminals and other spaces. Autonomous cleaning robots allow airports to not only increase floor cleaning frequency but move floor cleaning from the night shift to the day shift. This provides visual proof of an airport’s commitment to clean, safe and healthy facilities – delivering the critical peace of mind that fuels traveller confidence and unlocks better passenger experiences.

Has the COVID pandemic boosted the global sales of autonomous cleaning robots?

According to the New Association for Advancing Automation (A3), robot sales totalled $2 billion (39,708 units) in 2021 — a 28% increase compared to 2020 and 14% compared to 2017. This increase can serve as proof that the pandemic continues to fast-track robotics adoption as organisations meet new cleaning requirements in the midst of long-standing labour shortages.

Is there any airport, country or region of the world that perhaps leads the way when it comes to the deployment of autonomous robots at airports?

It would be very hard to single out one airport or region that excels. Our powered robots are deployed in airports across the US, Europe and beyond. It’s a growing market and it’s been fascinating to watch the rates of adoption grow in the sector as the overall needs for productivity have increased along with the acceptance of integrating robots into high functioning teams.

The waiting game

Virtual queuing is coming to an airport near you soon and could represent the future of waiting at airports, writes Steve Covate.

With the notable exception of the current COVID caused disruptions, it could be argued that airports – and the airlines and businesses that operate within them – have made giant strides in reducing wait times and improving the queuing experience over the last few years.

However, some waits remain inevitable. And how people wait can make all the difference between a positive experience and a negative one, and virtual queue management platforms are poised to reimagine the way people wait at airports.

We already use remote check-in via airline apps when we fly. Imagine having the ability to check in not just for your flight but also for service with a ticketing agent and airport security checkpoints.

For airport, airline, and vendor employees, shift changes can be a flurry of activity. What if digital queuing software could ensure security protocols are followed but with a faster, more efficient system of scanning badges so workers report to their stations in a more timely manner?

Three use cases for virtual queue management stand out. One could revolutionise the method by which passengers get to their gates, and the other two show how the future is already arriving.

Use Case No. 1: The Passenger Security Checkpoint

Express lines, redesigned layouts, and two decades of travellers understanding what they need to do when going through security have

helped improve efficiency at airport security checkpoints. Digital queuing has the potential to move passengers to their gates even faster.

Virtual queuing could eliminate most of the standing and guided pacing through the queue. Through the software, travellers could receive a time to report to security by checking in remotely from their phone, tablet, or computer when they arrive at the airport by scanning a QR code on their smartphones or scanning their boarding pass at a kiosk.

After checking into the virtual queue, passengers would receive notifications on their phone for estimated wait times, including an alert to come to the checkpoint to begin the screening process.

Instead of standing in a long line, they could visit the restroom, check out a gift shop, get food for the plane, or say goodbyes to loved ones. The amount of time required to get through security wouldn’t change, but passengers would have greater control over how and where they spent their wait time.

Studies of retail establishments support the notion that happy customers purchase more. It stands to reason the same holds true for happier, more relaxed passengers in an airport.

Travellers who aren’t pressed for time can enjoy a more leisurely bite to eat or a relaxed browse in the airport bookstore instead of rushing by restaurants and bypassing shops where they might find last-minute gifts for family and friends or perhaps replacement items like travel pillows and headphones.

Managers of airline and airport workers can monitor passenger traffic patterns throughout the facility to appropriately staff services that require more attention. For airline and airport personnel, digital queuing could make their jobs more predictable and less stressful. Employees could feel productive instead of hectic during busy periods.

This use case isn’t a reality yet – many things need to come together for it to happen. But such a system is on the horizon, and it promises to make the airport experience better for travellers and employees alike.

Use Case No. 2: The Badging Office

Airport security measures require every airport, airline, and vendor employee – including contractors doing various repair, maintenance, or construction work – to have a badge granting them access to certain areas of terminals, and the badging office presents a unique opportunity to increase efficiency.

Virtual queuing is already making a difference at some US airports in how new employees and contractors are screened before admittance to the building(s). Similar scenarios pertain to the badging office: Instead of waiting in long lines to report for duty, workers can instead check in remotely or at an on-site kiosk. Afterwards, they can wait wherever they choose, receiving updates to their phones about their place in line.

But virtual queuing doesn’t just make the wait easier for contractors, who also might be allowed to check in via text message before arriving at the badging office. The software introduces a host of additional efficiencies that include:

• The system can automatically send an update with document requirements that contractors need to be badged. They can retrieve those documents, ask questions, reply to the office, or leave the queue and reserve another time later.

• Certain contractors who are waiting can be prioritised based on the nature and urgency of their work, how long they’ve been in the queue, and anything else the office deems important.

• Important updates can be sent via text directly to workers and contractors about anything that could impact their shift based on their role and level of access: weather, terminal closures, flight delays and cancellations, supply availability and delivery, job assignments, and more.

• Data that the system generates can inform the badging office’s operational strategy, from staffing to training to budget.

Virtual queue solutions have a positive impact on the customer experience but can also play an integral role in improving employee satisfaction. Real-time updates delivered right to their phones and the ability to move quickly and efficiently through screening so they can reach their stations in a timely fashion are just two examples of things that workers feel valued because they feel like their employers values their time and talents.

Use Case No. 3: Airline Customer Service Counters

Airlines are just beginning to use virtual queue management in ways that create efficiencies for their operations and make a positive impact on the airport’s operations, too. Digital queuing delivers perhaps the biggest benefit to the customer experience.

Just like the first two use cases, passengers who need customer service check into the system and receive updates on their phones. Free from the requirement of standing in a long line, travellers can go to the airline’s lounge, sit down at a restaurant or browse airport retailers (another benefit to the airport and the vendors), or find a place to get comfortable until their turn comes up.

Moreover, with the customer’s details and dilemma already entered in the system, the service counter’s back office can start working to meet travellers’ needs while they wait.

When a passenger returns for service, the customer service team might already be halfway to booking another flight, reserving a hotel room, finding the traveller’s luggage, and so on.

The system can also prioritise certain travellers, so someone who might catch an upcoming flight doesn’t miss it by standing in line. And if passengers are waiting for an unusually long time, the platform can automatically send digital offers (e.g., restaurant vouchers, admission to the airline lounge) to their phones.

Given the speed at which business and technology move, it is critical for airports, airlines and vendors to meet the evolving expectations of passengers and the needs of employees.

When travellers believe their wait was shorter (even if it wasn’t) because they had more control over their time and they’ve received a more personalised level of service, they feel valued. Satisfied customers tend to be repeat customers who also buy more.

Likewise, airport, airline and vendor employees want to do their best when they go to work. Screening their badges and delivering updates right to their phones so they can more quickly report to their stations could reduce tension at shift changes and improve morale because they feel like management values their contributions.

Airports will never fully eliminate the wait for passengers and employees. However, the future promises to make those waits more manageable, less stressful, and full of opportunity. With virtual queue management, that future is already here.

About the author

Steve Covate is Qtrac’s vice president of sales. The company sells, configures, services and maintains virtual queuing solutions across the globe.

Open for business

The latest news and views from ACI’s World Business Partners.

New bespoke Thai food outlets open at Bangkok Survarnabhumi

BagsID showcases potential for baggage biometrics

BagsID has used Aeroporti di Roma’s Innovation Hub incubator programme at Rome Fiumicino Airport to showcase its new mobile recognition app and its potential future use for baggage biometrics to the world.

The incubator programme, created in partnership with LVenture Group, provides a platform for innovative start-ups to demonstrate their ideas and technologies to stakeholders in the aviation industry.

The roadmap of the incubator programme for Aeroporti Di Roma (AdR), includes mounting frames and cameras for image identification of baggage in the Baggage Handling System (BHS) of Rome Fiumicino Airport.

At Rome Fiumicino, staff were able to scan a set of test bags using the BagsID app, which utilises new image recognition technology that makes it possible to identify and monitor the last known location of luggage as it travels through an airport BHS.

Emanuele Calà, vice president of innovation and quality at AdR, said: “What BagsID is developing is a revolution! At AdR, we believe in the future of baggage biometrics and the possibilities that will revolutionise the way baggage will travel. Not only will this benefit the way passengers travel, but it will also deliver a significant improvement in our handling processes and reliability of our airport.”

BagsID CEO, Dave Bakker, said: “We are thankful for the leadership role that Aeroporti di Roma has taken with their incubator programme and we are delighted to have been able to demonstrate our innovative capabilities in improving the baggage process through the use of AI enhanced computer vision technology.

“We look forward working together with Aeroporti di Roma to deploy the next steps in our proof of concept.”

With over four billion bags checked in globally every year, baggage handling plays a critical role in the seamless door to door passenger journey and the sustainability drive in aviation.

BagsID notes that it has developed the first image-based baggage recognition solution for the airline industry by means of leveraging computer vision technology, providing valuable insights to airports and airlines to increase their performance and capacity.

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) has two new bespoke Thai food outlets, courtesy of global F&B provider, the SSP Group.

According to SSP, the openings will allow travellers to enjoy authentic Thai culinary experiences as they embark on their journeys through the gateway.

Koh Hop Bar, which has proven exceedingly popular with customers, serves a selection of beers and bar food classics ‘with a twist’, including a signature Thai-flavoured ‘Koh Hop Bar burger’. Imm Rice & Noodle brings local Thai cuisine to both international and local travellers at Suvarnabhumi.

Among its wide selection of traditional dishes are plant-based options for vegans and vegetarians including vegetarian pad Thai and stir-fried spicy tofu and mushroom with basil. Imm is scheduled to expand to Don Mueang International Airport.

Jonathan Robinson, CEO of SSP Asia Pacific said: “The team at SSP Thailand has done an outstanding job utilising their knowledge of both local culture and international travellers to develop these excellent new concepts.

“Koh Hop Bar and Imm Rice & Noodle are appealing to the new generation of younger travellers. Both brands have been carefully curated based on our long experience in the region and our detailed understanding of the Thai travelling consumer.”

BKK’s executive vice president and deputy general manager, Asdang Khumkomgool, said: “The Koh Hop Bar and Imm Rice & Noodle bring a wonderful blend of Western and Asian style cuisine to the airport F&B offering at Suvarnabhumi, reflecting the diverse demands of both local and international visitors.

“Customer satisfaction is our top priority and both Koh Hop Bar and Imm restaurants are already proving a success by enhancing customer satisfaction and the image of Suvarnabhumi airport with their colourful unit designs and locally-inspired menus.”

High fashion at Sydney Airport

Sydney Airport is reinvigorating the luxury retail precinct in its T1 International terminal with the arrival of some of the most sought-after brands showcased in a new-look 2,700sqm streetscape. Joining Sydney Airport for the first time are Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Loewe, Prada and Saint Laurent – all of which are now open for business – with Cartier, Celine, Dior, Gentle Monster, Louis Vuitton, Moncler, Valentino and Versace to follow.

Heinemann Tax & Duty Free will also unveil a new Beauty, Fashion, Luxury Timepieces and Jewellery offer which will complement the new luxury precinct.

Some of the new zones will feature a range of activations that are exclusive to passengers travelling through Sydney Airport’s T1 International terminal.

Sydney Airport’s executive general manager commercial, Mark Zaouk, said: “International passengers can also look forward to a number of Australian firsts, including Louis Vuitton’s first travel retail store in the southern hemisphere and the brand’s largest stand-alone travel retail store in the world and Gentle Monster’s first store in Australia and New Zealand.

“I’m delighted to see our revitalised vision for T1 taking shape as we firmly position Sydney Airport on the world stage. And with a further nine luxury brands to launch by mid-2023, I’m looking forward to seeing passengers enjoy the new retail experience as we welcome them back to international travel.”

Avinor rolls out new forecasting technology

Norwegian airport operator, Avinor, has partnered with Veovo to provide an integrated platform that will forecast, plan, and optimise operations across all areas of its airports.

In one of the most comprehensive machine learning programmes in the industry, the strategic collaboration aims to result in better passenger experiences across its 40+ airports and allow for more cost-effective and reliable operations.

Now, more than ever, airports are operating in a very dynamic environment, increasing the need for planning to be more agile and backed by evidence-based data. As part of this programme, Avinor and Veovo will effectively build data that reflects the processes of passenger and flight movements across each airport.

This, says Veovo, will enable service providers to continually improve performance by making automated and accurate predictions and putting actionable insights directly into the hands of staff, where and when they need it.

The Veovo machine learning platform will mesh data from multiple third-party systems and IoT devices to accurately automate predictions for multiple operational services and use cases across all time horizons.

The programme scope includes providing accurate forecasts and capacity planning for passenger and baggage flow, check-in, security, and border control resource planning.

The technology may also be used by Avinor to improve airside decision-making such as turnarounds, de-icing, gate allocations and maintenance planning. The prediction capability will extend between airports; if Avinor understands the impact of events at one airport on others in the Norwegian network, the operator can take early action to minimise disruption.

“To reach our strategic goals of delivering better services more sustainably and more efficiently, we must become a data-driven organisation,” said Avinor CEO, Abraham Foss.

WBP profiles

Japan Tobacco International

Membership Region: Latin America-Caribbean

Type of Business: Retail & Commercial

W: www.jti.com

JTI is a member of the Japan Tobacco Group of Companies (JT), a leading international tobacco product manufacturer. It markets worldrenowned brands such as | Winston, Mild Seven (Mevius) and Camel. With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, JTI has operations in 120 countries and about 25,000 employees.

National Aviation Services (NAS)

Membership Region: Africa Type of Business: Handing & Airfield

W: www.nas.com.kw

National Aviation Services (NAS) is a private airline ground handling company that provides Ground Support, Passenger Handling, Cargo, Engineering and Safety & Security support along with a host of value-added services like Commercial Lounges, Meet and Assist, Travel Management and Airport Facilitation services at airports. European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approved NAS is a member of the IATA Ground Handling Council (IGHC), GASA (Gulf Airport Services Agencies) and IAHA (International Aviation Handlers’ Association).

York Aviation

Membership Region: Europe

Type of Business: Consulting & Management

W: www.yorkaviation.co.uk

York Aviation is a specialist consultancy focusing on all aspects of the airport business. It advises airports, airlines and investors in relation to demand forecasting, route development, capacity assessment, economic regulation, economic impact and appraisal, financial modelling, business planning and master planning.

PEOPLE matters

Actions speak louder than words

Dr Richard Plenty and Terri Morrissey reflect on the importance of taking a broad perspective on sustainability.

We are writing this column from New Zealand where we are on a fact-finding mission on ‘sustainability’. At the same time as we are working, we are enjoying seeing some of the amazing sights and re-connecting with distant family.

New Zealand is a beautiful country, so perhaps it’s not surprising that environmental matters are taken seriously not only by government, local authorities and communities, but by many businesses, including airports.

Take Auckland Airport as an example. It was one of the first organisations to join the ‘Climate Leaders Coalition’ back in 2017. This coalition of businesses now has about 100 members and is committed to take voluntary action on climate change and work towards the transition to a low carbon economy.

Auckland Airport seems to have been an early adopter of sustainability principles, committing to action on four fronts – ‘Place’, ‘Purpose’, ‘People’ and ‘Community’, with targets in each area.

• Place: valuing the planet and acting on climate change for the future generations

• Purpose: creating stakeholder value; 100% of procurement aligned with sustainable guidelines

• People: adding value for employees; creating a representative mix of New Zealand people

• Community: creating community value in the local and wider Auckland areas.

This broad perspective on sustainability, which is similar to that seen in some European airports, requires a whole systems-wide approach, including action on reducing waste; improving recycling; and conserving and improving the biodiversity of its environment, as well as making and keeping commitments on net zero.

It also means adopting a “green managed growth” policy whereby action on a variety of fronts is taken, including working on innovation

and collaboration with other stakeholders (airlines, designers, universities, researchers and bodies such as ACI, ICAO).

Airports can improve the health and wellbeing of employees and passengers through the use of electric vehicles throughout the airport operation and by creating a “green environment” in the airports by planting green walls, trees and encouraging biodiversity.

Investment in the future should consider sustainable design of buildings, operations, and jobs.

Social responsibility measures could involve working with local communities to fund alternative heating source for houses (heat pumps and solar) and encouraging ways of changing attitudes and behaviour of employees toward sustainable behaviour in the workplace.

Actions speak louder than words, and it is important to manage the transition to a sustainable future in a manner that shows results along the way. At the same time, it is sensible in a complex, changing and uncertain environment to ‘look before you leap’ and think things through before acting.

Simple linear project plans are not always well suited to fast changing environments, but an overall roadmap is helpful to align stakeholders. We have been using our own ‘Richmor Model’, which is part of a framework we have developed to deal with uncertainty, as a basis for this. The four steps are:

1. Reflect – Understand why-the context and big picture; what we want to achieve; who is involved

2. Strategise – Develop strategic options with stakeholders of how to achieve a sustainable future

3. Exploure – Look in-depth at the options for action; explore the implications; weigh up the choices

4. ACT – Build the roadmap; develop action plans and milestones; implement.

Dick Benschop is stepping down as president director and CEO of the Royal Schiphol Group, although he will remain in the hot seat until the Amsterdam Schiphol operator finds his successor.

The Board of Directors of Dalaman International Airport has appointed Yiğit Laçin as the Turkish gateway’s new chief executive officer. Irish airport operator, daa, has made group financial officer, Catherine Gubbins, its interim CEO while the process to recruit a permanent replacement for former boss, Dalton Philips, continues.

Sustainability is about the future. A recent video from young airport and aviation personnel highlights the need to act now to address the sustainability of the aviation travel business. They state that the technologies are already there and continue to evolve and call on the ICAO General Assembly to take urgent action to address climate change and create the sustainable travel industry of the future.

It is time to listen to their voices and put urgency behind the sustainability journey. And time for us to continue with our post COVID travels, pleased we can meet again with family, friends and colleagues.

About the authors

Terri Morrissey and Dr Richard Plenty run ACI’s Human Resources training. They received a Presidential Citation from the American Psychological Association in June 2022 for their leadership in advancing global psychology. Contact them at info@thisis.eu