Regional update

ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East’s manager for communications and brand marketing, Yuman Lau, provides the quarterly news round-up.

ADDRESSING DRONE INTRUSIONS AND LANDSIDE SECURITY CHALLENGES

ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID) addressed airport security challenges, focusing on landside attacks and drone intrusions at the 9th Annual Technical and Operational Meeting (ATOM) of CASP-AP in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Hosted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Mongolia, ICAO-led CASP-AP supports aviation security compliance in the Asia-Pacific region.

The meeting attracted 40+ representatives to discuss training, capacity-building, and CASP-AP priorities.

ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East’s senior manager of security and facilitation, Gary Leung, emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between airport operators and regulators to enhance security frameworks.

Landside security remains a critical challenge for airports due to the complexities of managing large crowds, infrastructure design constraints, and the need for co-ordination between multiple stakeholders during emergencies.

HIGH-LEVEL MEETINGS IN NEW DELHI

ACI APAC & MID director general, Stefano Baronci, met with India’s Civil Aviation Secretary, Vumlunmang Vualnam, alongside ACI APAC & MID president, SGK Kishore, earlier this year.

They discussed strengthening India’s leadership in global aviation and its potential to set industry benchmarks.

Baronci also met with Vipin Kumar, chairman of the Airports Authority of India, to discuss environmental sustainability and industry advocacy. The day concluded with a strategic session between Stefano Baronci and SGK Kishore, reviewing the association’s roadmap and planning the next steps to enhance airport competitiveness across the region.

NET ZERO ROADMAP LAUNCHED AT KING KHALID INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, operated by Riyadh Airports Company, is the first in the region to undergo an onsite assessment under ACI APAC & MID’s Net Zero Roadmap pilot programme, advancing sustainability efforts.

Following an October 2024 agreement with Riyadh Airports Company, ACI APAC & MID conducted the assessment in January 2025, led by experts from To70 and Ken Lau, ACI APAC & MID’s head of sustainability. The review evaluated infrastructure, gathered data, and engaged stakeholders to guide decarbonisation strategies.

Next, the team will develop a tailored roadmap to help KKIA achieve net zero emissions by 2050, outlining carbon reduction pathways, governance frameworks, CAPEX planning, and implementation strategies.

DRIVING AIRPORT COMPETITIVENESS

Top airport leaders from across the Middle East, representing over 90% of the region’s air traffic, gathered in Abu Dhabi to discuss strategies for enhancing airport competitiveness.

Hosted by Abu Dhabi Airports, the discussions centred on sustainability, technological innovation, and streamlined policies as key growth enablers.

Leaders also emphasised the importance of fostering international tourism through equal engagement among all stakeholders, including airport operators.

ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East remains committed to supporting this vision through advocacy, resources, and a collaborative platform to drive meaningful progress.

ENGAGING GULF AIRPORT LEADERS

ACI APAC & MID was honoured to represent member airports at the Coordination Meeting of Airports CEOs in the Gulf, hosted by Riyadh Airports Company.

Ilia Lioutov, head of economics and Middle East Office, joined airport leaders from Riyadh, Oman, Doha, Jeddah, Sharjah, Cluster2, Dammam, NEOM, and Bahrain to discuss key priorities.

The meeting focused on four working groups established in Muscat: Human Capital Development, ICT, Supply Chain, and Security & Safety.

ACI’S GLOBAL LEADERS VISIT HONG KONG

ACI APAC & MID had the privilege of hosting ACI’s global leaders in Hong Kong to align on key priorities and enhance strategies for supporting airport members and World Business Partners.

At the heart of our discussions was a shared commitment to ensure that ACI continues to deliver value, stronger industry influence, and meaningful support to the airport community across the globe.

WAITSC MEETING ADVANCES SMART AIRPORT TECHNOLOGIES

The 28th ACI World Airport IT Standing Committee (WAITSC) meeting, hosted by Airport Authority Hong Kong in late February, brought together airport IT leaders from key aviation markets.

Among the 30 members in attendance were representatives from key Asia-Pacific and Middle East airports such as Beijing, Changi, Hong Kong, Narita, Nagoya, Sharjah and Shenzhen.

Vivian Cheung, acting CEO of Airport Authority Hong Kong, opened the event, highlighting how post-pandemic trends have accelerated the adoption of digital technology.

Representing ACI APAC & MID, Ken Lau, our head of sustainability, provided a regional update and presented survey findings on unmanned aircraft systems. Discussions covered AI, cybersecurity, biometrics and IT training, reinforcing ACI’s commitment to aviation technology and innovation.

ACI APEX ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IN SAUDI ARABIA

The region’s first ACI Airport Excellence (APEX) environmental review was hosted by Jeddah Airports Company and conducted at King Abdulaziz International Airport, in Saudi Arabia, from February 16-20, 2025.

In collaboration with experts from Queen Alia, Athens and Helsinki airports, and ACI APAC & MID, the review assessed the airport’s environmental impact, ensuring compliance with regulations while sharing best practices.

APEX in Environment helps airports identify risks, improve sustainability initiatives, and enhance infrastructure. The programme provides tailored recommendations to enhance existing initiatives and infrastructure, supporting airports in advancing their environmental sustainability.

LANDSIDE SECURITY WEBINAR FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

ACI APAC & MID and ICAO co-hosted a Landside Security Webinar in February that brought together 30+ representatives from regulators, airports and airlines to discuss security challenges and solutions.

Opening the session, ICAO Middle East’s deputy regional director, Mohamed Smaoui, highlighted the growing threat of landside attacks and the urgent need for stronger protective measures. The three-hour webinar fostered knowledge exchange and explored innovative approaches to enhance airport landside security.

Gary Leung, ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East’s senior manager for security and facilitation, represented the association at the webinar.

His presentation highlighted some of the major safety and security challenges faced by airports across the region and, indeed the world. The ever evolving list of challenges, he noted, included the gathering of crowds inside the terminal building, limitations in infrastructure design, co ordination with multiple stakeholders for emergency response, and insufficient blast mitigation measures.