Worldwide Airport Infrastructure Needs Investment to Handle Rising Demand According to ACI
Earlier this year, the ACI told the aviation industry that the only way to handle rising demand in flight passenger traffic was by making investments into airport infrastructure. With passenger traffic on the up across the globe, expected to reach more than 20 billion by 2039, and on top of that increasing passenger expectation levels, mandatory safety, security and data protection requirements, there has never been a greater need to encourage investment within the sector.
The Director General of ACI World, Angela Gittens said in her address, ‘Investing in new and improved infrastructure, as well as making the most of existing infrastructure, is the bedrock on which smooth airport operations and improved passenger experience is built.’
Encouraging private investment in airport infrastructure
With a Compounded Annual Growth Rate of 4.1%, and rising challenges and the inevitable pressure airports will face with current systems and processes, a viable solution, according to the ACI report to ‘plug the gap’ in infrastructure, is the encouragement of private investments.
Ms Gittens said, ‘Globally, airport privatisation has become an important investment vehicle for the development of infrastructure to accommodate air service demand, to contribute to the community and national economic vitality, and to enhance the customer passenger experience. It has been applied in important aviation markets including Europe, Australia, Brazil, China and India.’
Airports within the US are almost all run and owned by the state and are expected to be self-sustaining when it comes to financing. In other areas of the world, private investment has proved a successful way of implementing changes to infrastructure, systems and processes with the introduction of new technologies and solutions.
ACI suggested that investment could be improved and increased across the US with insights into how new opportunities could be harnessed through the current Passenger Facility Charge and the Airport Improvement Program. A new system could enable airports to look to local resources for support and investment, giving them the chance to deliver the high service levels passengers have grown to expect, while strengthening infrastructure simultaneously. The ACI stressed that both national and regional investment will be needed in worldwide airports over the next 20 years to ensure maximum demand can be handled.
How existing technology can help
With growing opportunities in terms of global connectivity, investment in airport infrastructure will enable airports of all sizes to update current systems and utilizing existing technological advancements to strengthen critical systems and processes.
The President of the ICAO, Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, told the Global Aviation Investment Summit, held recently in Dubai that the countries that make those investments to strengthen airport infrastructure through updating current technology will realise the growing opportunities and benefits that improved connectivity brings.
Today’s latest airport infrastructure solutions benefit from next-generation products and more importantly, integration. Infrastructure, when fully connected brings far greater visibility across the entire airport environment and allows airport operators a 360° view of a centralized operational infrastructure.
Talk to A-ICE about strengthening your airport infrastructure
A-ICE can help to reinforce essential airport infrastructure, working closely with its clients to deliver scalability across the operational environment, regardless of geographical location or airport size. We understand that when seamless integration of all airport systems and processes is achieved, and infrastructure reliably connected, critical processes are streamlined, and crucial visibility achieved.
Talk to us about how we can enhance your airport infrastructure, and use integration of master systems to powerful effect, utilizing your existing airport technology and hardware. Let us help you to create a uniquely tailored, flexible and ultimately scalable approach to your airport infrastructure.
Visit our solutions for airport authorities page to find out more.