Airports Council International to Help Reduce Missed Passenger Connections and Delays
Montréal,22 April 2013– Today, Airports Council International (ACI) announced the launch of Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) in Africa, Asia-Pacific (including the Middle-East), Latin America-Caribbean and North-America.
A-CDM minimizes delays and maximizes airport capacity by enabling key partners in the air transportation system to share vital aviation data necessary for improved aircraft turn-round times and pre-departure sequencing processes.
According to Angela Gittens, Director General of Airports Council International, “Information sharing underlies the smooth operation of any ecosystem and the air transportation system is no different. A-CDM will enable a more undisrupted passenger journey as aviation partners will have access to real-time data about flight arrivals and departures and baggage routing. It will help avoid delays, prevent missed connections and reduce costs for travellers and service providers alike. Airport operators, aircraft operators, ground handlers, air traffic control and air traffic management will share key information for the benefit of the system as a whole. As more airports implement A-CDM, we will see an aviation system more akin to a finely tuned orchestra than an ensemble of talented solo players. Airports in Europe have already achieved impressive benefits in passenger service, operational efficiency and cost reductions ACI will work with airports in other parts of the world to follow similar flight paths.”
Patti Chau, Regional Director of ACI Asia-Pacific said “The Asia-Pacific region will see a tripling of its traffic between 2013 and 2025. Our airports deserve innovative solutions to meet the challenges in front of us and manage such an increase in traffic. A-CDM will help our members fully utilize the existing airport infrastructure while delivering operational benefits, reducing costs, improving efficiency and preserving the environment. I strongly urge our airports to start implementing this great initiative while traffic is still manageable.”
The launch of A-CDM follows the 25 June 2012 signing of a memorandum of cooperation between ACI and CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) on the promotion and implementation of A-CDM and follows the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) resolution on A-CDM stemming from its November 2012, 12th Air Navigation Conference (ANC) in Montréal, Québec, Canada.
The 8th ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly, Conference and Exhibition that runs from 22 to 25 April 2013 in Phuket, Thailand will feature a session on “Airport Operations – Planning for the Future” where A-CDM will be introduced as a strategic solution to enhance airport operational efficiency and address capacity constraints in Asia-Pacific, the fastest growing market in aviation.
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Notes for Editors
What is A-CDM?
Airport CDM is about partners, airport operators, aircraft operators, ground handlers, ATC and the ATM Network, sharing data and working together more efficiently and transparently.
- A-CDM improves operational efficiency at airports by reducing delays, improving flight events predictability, maximizing airport throughput usage and optimising the utilisation of airport resources.
- By improving target take off times, A-CDM can help the air traffic management network improve its en-route and sector planning operations. Naturally, these benefits will increase as more and more airports implement A-CDM. Through the same link and in return, airports can receive information about expected landing time that enables additional operational benefits for arrival flights.
Benefits of A-CDM for Airport Partners
- Overall, the airport throughput usage will be maximised especially at peak/congested hours.
- The airport operator benefits from improved use of stands/gates and increased airport throughput. In addition, more stable traffic flows and reduced taxi times will lead to fewer queues at the runway and less congestion on the apron and taxiways. Air navigation service providers both at airports and en-route, benefit from improved runway and capacity planning.
- Ground handlers benefit from more accurate arrival times, which allows for more accurate planning with more efficient use of resources.
- Aircraft operators benefit from improved awareness about the status and location of the aircraft. Together with sequence information and better arrival times, the result is more accurate fleet predictions, reduced fuel burn due to less aircraft queuing on taxiways and economic and environmental benefits.
- Passengers benefit from reduction in delays, and fewer missed connections. After disruptions, recovery is much faster. For arrivals more accurate information is delivered to flight information display systems and service desks.
About Airports Council International
ACI is the only global trade representative of the world’s airports. Established in 1991, ACI represents airports’ interests with governments and international organizations, develops standards, policies and recommended practices for airports, and provides information and training opportunities to raise standards around the world.
Media Contacts
Cheryl Marcell
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ACI World
Telephone: +1 514 373 1224
Email: cmarcell@aci.aero
James Roach
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ACI World
Telephone: +1 514 373 1226
Email: jroach@aci.aero