View from the top

Director general, Stefano Baronci, reflects on a milestone year for aviation, a busy start to 2025, and looks forward to ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East’s Regional Assembly, Conference and Exhibition in Delhi.

The aviation industry marked a new milestone in 2024 with passenger traffic not only rebounding from the pandemic but exceeding pre-pandemic levels, signalling a new era of growth.

Asia-Pacific served an estimated 3.5 billion passengers in 2024, 3% more than in 2019, while the Middle East continued its upward trajectory, reaching an estimated 443 million passengers – a remarkable 9% growth over pre-pandemic levels.

Looking ahead, the momentum is set to continue. Between 2024 and 2043, global passenger traffic is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.4%, reaching 17.7 billion passengers.

By 2053, this figure is projected to nearly double to 22.3 billion, reinforcing the need for long-term strategic planning. Asia-Pacific and the Middle East will remain at the forefront of this expansion, with passenger traffic in the region expected to surge from 3.5 billion in 2023 to an estimated 8.7 billion by 2042.

NEED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Meeting this unprecedented demand requires substantial investment in airport infrastructure to ensure that they remain competitive in an evolving landscape.

To assess the region’s readiness, we are conducting a survey on planned capital expenditure investments for the period 2025–2035. This initiative will provide a comprehensive overview of the investment scale required to support the aviation sector’s growth over the next decade.

ENHANCING COMPETITIVENESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Recognising the Middle East’s growing role in global aviation, we kick-started the year with a high-level workshop on the Competitiveness of Middle East Airports.

This gathering of airport CEOs and key industry leaders covered critical strategies to enhance airport competitiveness. With representatives accounting for over 90% of the region’s air traffic, discussions focused on sustainability, technological innovation, and policy streamlining as key enablers of success.

A major takeaway from the workshop was the need to strengthen international tourism through a collaborative framework, ensuring equal engagement among all stakeholders, including airport operators.

As a follow-up, we represented our member airports at the Coordination Meeting of Airports CEOs in the Gulf, hosted by Riyadh Airports Company. The meeting saw participation from leading airports across the region and addressed four key areas: Human Capital Development, ICT, Supply Chain, and Security & Safety.

LEADING THE WAY IN SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability remains at the core of our industry’s future. I am proud to state that we have made significant progress in our Net Zero Roadmap pilot programme.

King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh, operated by Riyadh Airports, became the first airport in the region to undergo an onsite assessment under this initiative.

The assessment was designed to thoroughly evaluate the airport’s infrastructure, collect key data, engage stakeholders, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the airport’s environmental landscape to guide strategic decision-making in the subsequent phases.

With the assessment complete, expert teams are now analysing data to develop a tailored Net Zero Roadmap for KKIA, offering a structured pathway to achieving net zero emissions.

This initiative complements the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme, providing airports with practical, actionable solutions to reduce their carbon footprint.

ENHANCING SECURITY & KNOWLEDGE SHARING

Collaboration remains essential to strengthening airport operations. Together with ICAO, we co-hosted the Landside Security Webinar, bringing together key stakeholders to address critical security challenges.

The discussions focused on issues such as crowd management and infrastructure constraints, while also highlighting best practices in aviation safety.

LEADERSHIP TRANSITION

ACI APAC & MID is stepping into a new chapter under the leadership of SGK Kishore, the executive director and chief innovation officer of GMR Hyderabad Airport, who has taken over as our president.

His leadership coincides with the upcoming Regional Assembly, Conference and Exhibition in New Delhi from April 15-17, 2025, and hosted by GMR Delhi Airport.

India, as a dynamic aviation market, presents a prime opportunity to bring global aviation leaders together to discuss the future of the industry.

Further strengthening capacity building efforts, we are organising a Workshop on Environmental Communications to equip airport communications teams with strategies to address sustainability concerns and enhance collaboration between departments for credible and transparent messaging.

EXPANDING AIR CONNECTIVITY

Our Air Connectivity programme continues to serve as a valuable benchmark for airports, helping them assess and improve their connectivity rankings.

To further expand the programme’s scope, we are co-organising the Air Connectivity Conference in Shanghai on May 28, 2025, in partnership with the China Civil Airports Association, and hosted by Shanghai Airport Authority. This event will provide a platform for airports to explore strategies for enhancing air connectivity.

LOOKING AHEAD

The aviation industry is at the cusp of massive growth, and our role as an industry association is more critical than ever. We remain committed to driving sustainable growth, strengthening regional collaboration, and ensuring that our airports are well-prepared for the future.

Through capacity building and knowledge sharing, we can collectively make the aviation industry resilient, competitive, and primed for long-term success