HONG KONG, 16 September 2026: Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East secured regional support for action on airport and airspace capacity, modernising airport slot policies and strengthening climate resilience at the 61st ICAO Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for the Asia and Pacific Regions, held in Kuala Lumpur from 7 to 11 September 2026.
ACI APAC & MID presented three discussion papers to the conference. Its joint paper with the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) assessed airport and airspace capacity. Other recommendations called for modernising airport slot policies and highlighted practical programmes and tools to help airports strengthen climate resilience and advance towards Net Zero.
Key outcomes
Airport and Airspace Capacity: The DGCA Conference supported the partnership between ACI APAC & MID and CANSO, which aims to assess airport and ATM capacities in the region and whether these capacities will meet future traffic growth. This initiative highlights the need to expand, optimise, and improve airport and air traffic management (ATM) capacity in tandem. This collaboration is strategically important as the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions prepare for significant growth in air travel.
Airport Slot Policy: ACI APAC & MID highlighted the importance of maintaining the fundamental principles of the airport slot allocation framework while improving its efficiency and effectiveness. The conference encouraged States to continue stakeholder discussions to improve slot allocation efficiency.
Climate Action: States and Administrations are encouraged to recommend that their airports participate in the ACI APAC & MID Net Zero Roadmap and use the complimentary Climate Risk Maturity Check Tool and Climate Risk Assessment Tool to strengthen preparedness and long-term resilience. This paper received support from various States, particularly the Pacific Island States.
Commenting on the outcomes, ACI APAC & MID Director General Stefano Baronci said: “Asia-Pacific and the Middle East continue to be the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets. Meeting this growth will require close cooperation between governments, regulators and industry to ensure that airport infrastructure, airspace capacity and policy frameworks evolve in step with demand. As a voice of airports, we are pleased to bring the airport perspective to these discussions and support practical policies that enhance capacity, operational efficiency and airport climate action across the sector.”
Additionally, through Information Papers, ACI APAC & MID highlighted key challenges and priorities for the region’s airports:
Airport Security and Facilitation: Addressed the operational challenges facing airport security amid rapid traffic growth and the need to ensure that security and facilitation measures keep pace with rising passenger demand.
The State of the Asia-Pacific Airport Industry: Examined the region’s airport industry, highlighting traffic growth, financial pressures and the need for continued infrastructure investment to meet future demand.
(Source: ACI)
