ACI EVENTS: WAGA
Show business! Airport World reviews some of the highlights of the recent ACI-LAC/World Annual General Assembly, Conference & Exhibition in Cancún.
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viation leaders from across the globe gathered in Cancún in November for the ACI-LAC/World Annual General Assembly, Conference & Exhibition, and for the more than 300 delegates lucky enough to be in Mexico, it provided the opportunity to expand their knowledge, learn about the latest industry initiatives and innovations, and catch up with friends and colleagues they perhaps hadn’t seen in-person for two years. Guests were welcomed by Mexico’s Subsecretary of Transport, Carlos Alfonso Morán Moguel; the secretary general of ICAO, Juan Carlos Salazar Gómez; ACI World chair and CEO of Corporación América Airports and president of Aeropuertos Argentina 2000, Martin Eurnekian; and ACI-LAC president and CEO of Reach Airports, Andrew O’Brian. Eurnekian told delegates: “During the past 20 months, ACI has worked tirelessly to be the voice of the world’s airports, representing our members’ interests both on the global stage and on the ground through our products and services during the entire crisis. “And while airports continue to feel the repercussions of the pandemic, we have begun to rebuild – albeit it in a very different world, underlining the importance of events such as this one. “We have a tremendous challenge: the airport industry must continue to anticipate and adjust to the impact of COVID-19 as it fulfils the demands of its customers and communities, safely, securely, and sustainably. But I am confident, that together through collaboration and with the support of governments, we can achieve a bigger and better sector.” In his state of the industry address, ACI World director general, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, delved into the symbolic importance of gathering in-person, the latest data concerning the impacts of COVID-19 on airports, and the socio-economic importance of a sustained recovery.
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AIRPORT WORLD/ISSUE 6, 2021
“The fact that aviation stakeholders are gathered under one roof here in Cancún to exchange information on the most pressing issues of sustainable recovery is proof of the sector’s upward trajectory,” enthused de Oliveira. “In just a few months it will be two years since the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Since then, daily life across the globe has changed with unprecedented impacts on the global economy, trade and mobility. Practically all aspects of economic and social activity were – and are still – disrupted. “Air transport has remained one of the hardest-hit global industries in 2020, and its restart has been slow, uneven, and challenging. The economic, social and health implications for the aviation sector are far-reaching and the pandemic will affect aviation businesses, passengers, and airports for years to come.” He noted that under the current projection, and taking into account the slower than expected fourth quarter of 2021, global domestic passenger traffic is still expected to reach 2019 levels in late 2023, but global international passenger traffic will require an additional year, reaching 2019 levels by the end of the third quarter of 2024. ACI World’s de Oliveira also reiterated the organisation’s call for a harmonised global effort from governments and all industry stakeholders to take action to implement risk based, pragmatic approaches – such as the mutual recognition of vaccines and interoperable solutions for proof of health status – to help reboot air travel. And he reminded everyone of the importance of factoring sustainability into aviation’s recovery efforts to ensure aviation’s long-term future.
