ACI ASIA-PACIFIC NEWS
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It was a busy end to 2016 for ACI Asia-Pacific with a series of events, visits and other initiatives taking place across the region, writes Vivian Fung.
October’s ACI Asia-Pacific Small and Emerging Airports Seminar was hosted in Siem Reap by Cambodia Airports and attracted close to 200 aviation executives from across the region.
Cambodia’s Secretary of State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, His Excellency, Mao Havannall, joined Eric Delobel, CEO of Cambodia Airports and ACI Asia-Pacific’s regional director, Patti Chau, for the opening session where the keynote address was given by Arun Mishra, regional director of ICAO’s Asia and Pacific Office.
Mishra talked about the challenges and opportunities for small and emerging airports and highlighted ICAO’s plans and programmes in support of the ‘No country left behind’ initiative.
Chau revealed that around 85% of Asia-Pacific’s gateways fall into the small airport category as they handled less than five million passengers per annum but each had a vital role to play.
“At ACI we value each and every airport member regardless of size as all airports serve a key role in the transportation of people and goods,” she said.
APEX in Security pilots In Indonesia
ACI followed up April’s successful Airport Excellence (APEX) in Security pilot review at SSR International Airport in Mauritius with reviews at Denpasar and Balikpapan airports in Indonesia in the final quarter of 2016.
Supported by ICAO, the APEX in Security programme is a peer review process that offers advice on best practice and identifies areas for improvement, and pilots will enable the fine-tuning of the programme for future security reviews at airports around the world.
If your airport is interested in hosting an APEX review, whether on safety or security, or wishes to join the review team as a safety or security partner, please contact ACI Asia-Pacific’s SL Wong, head, technical and industry affairs at sl@aci-asiapac.aero
WORLD BUSINESS PARTNER Airport Tour
In 2016, 13 executives from 10 companies visited three airports in the Middle East – Muscat (Oman), Hamad (Qatar) and Mehrabad (Iran) – on the annual WBP Airport Tour, which for the first time was open to WBP members from ACI Europe.
Launched in 2011, the objective of the ACI Asia-Pacific WBP Airport Tour is to provide a unique platform for WBPs to develop new business opportunities and for airport members to meet the service providers that could assist them in their development.
During the tour, each host airport delivered a presentation on their organisation and development needs followed by presentations from the WBPs. Both airport representatives and WBPs also interacted through the Q&A sessions.
Site visits to the three airports were also conducted and several WBPs were invited by the host airport to have individual business meetings after the tour.
In Doha, Hamad International Airport’s chief operating officer, Badr Mohammed Al Meer, explained that the airport wants to expand its passenger capacity from 30 million to 53 million by 2020. The group enjoyed a tour of the airport terminal, hotel and airline lounges.
ACI Developing Nations Assistance (ACI-DNA) Programme on Airport Security
Targeted at airports in developing nations in the Asia-Pacific region, the ACI-DNA Assistance Programme organised its 36th training seminar in Siem Reap, Cambodia in late October 2016.
Hosted by Cambodia Airports, the event, which was focused on security screening, attracted 17 participants from seven airports in the region.
Two guest instructors from Aviation Security Co Ltd (AVSECO) in Hong Kong covered the following issues: Aviation Security Principles and Countermeasures; Categories of Restricted Articles; Methods of Concealment; and Search Techniques and the Use of Metal Detectors.
To encourage an interactive exchange, participants were invited to share frisk search and baggage search techniques used at their respective airports. The two-day programme finished with a tour of Siem Reap International Airport.
Participation in the DNA programme is complimentary for attendees from eligible airports as course fees and accommodation costs are covered by ACI. Details can be found at www.aci.aero/Services/DNA-Assistance-Programme
