Since the first commercial flight 100 years ago, the aviation industry has grown to contribute US$2.4 trillion to the global economy, according to figures from the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG). Airports Council International (ACI) is proud to represent the world’s airports—vital components of the global aviation industry, engines for local economies and drivers of global economic growth.
In parallel with the changes that the aviation industry at large has undergone in the last century, airports have evolved from being simple infrastructure providers to complex businesses in their own right. Worldwide some 470,000 people work directly for airport operators, and when on-site workers at airlines, ground handlers, retail outlets, restaurants, hotels, government agencies and other employers are included, this number balloons to 4.6 million.
Collaboration and knowledge sharing is key to raising the bar for the industry as a whole
However, despite the great strides that aviation has taken over the last century, much work remains to be done to ensure that we continue to make progress over the next 100 years. For its part, ACI is working closely with stakeholders on the priorities of safety and security, environmental and economic sustainability, customer service, succession planning, training and much more.
Just a few of ACI’s numerous initiatives aimed at helping airports operate sustainably and successfully include Airport Excellence (APEX) in Safety, a peer review project for airports that want to up their safety acumen; Global Training, with its suite of classroom and online courses covering all aspects of airport operation; Airport Carbon Accreditation, a programme designed to help airports meet our industry’s ambitious goals for reducing carbon emissions; Airport Service Quality (ASQ), our customer service benchmarking programme; and our publications, which cover everything from safety, security and the environment to traffic statistics and economic data.
What each of the above initiatives has in common is a focus on starting a dialogue. ACI believes that collaboration and knowledge sharing is key to raising the bar for the industry as a whole.
For this reason it is my great pleasure to be included in the first issue of this Newsletter, AERTEC Solutions’ own contribution to sharing knowledge within the industry. I invite you to peruse the articles and news pieces within and, just as importantly, share it with colleagues as we all continue on the path toward a vibrant future for the aviation industry.
Kindest Regards,
Fredrick Piccolo
Chair, ACI World and President & CEO, Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority
