ACI World launches new guidance on airport business continuity management
Maintaining a high quality of customer experience during disruption explored at ACI Global Summit
Bali, 4 September 2019 – Airports Council International (ACI) World has today launched a new guidance handbook on business continuity management to help airport operators maintain the flow of passengers and goods in the event of an emergency or other disruption.
ACI’s Airport Business Continuity Management Handbook provides best practices, and a useful summary of actions that airport operators can undertake to create a robust business continuity plan in order to mitigate against, prepare for, respond to and recover from possible events that may interrupt normal business operations.
The issues and guidance explored in the handbook were discussed today during the second annual ACI Customer Experience Global Summit, hosted by airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I (Persero), under the theme: “One airport community; Many passenger journeys.”
“The potential for events to disrupt normal business operations at airports is relevant to all regions and underlines the need for robust business continuity management plans,” said ACI World Director General Angela Gittens. “This can never be an ‘off-the-shelf’ exercise, however, and plans and the approach to business continuity should be fully tailored to the circumstances of events and the individual airport.”
The handbook helps airport operators conduct risk assessments, develop and implement business continuity plans, address incident management including communication with airport stakeholders, cultivate an airport culture that values business continuity management planning, and provides several case studies and best practices.
At Session Two of the Global Summit – “Success after setbacks, the show must go on” – delegates gained insights into how airports maintain customer satisfaction through times of disruption, planned and unplanned. They were treated to the direct experience of panelists that had been through emergencies, construction and the entire relocation of the airport:
- Roelof-Jan Steenstra, President and Chief Executive Officer, Fort McMurray Airport Authority
- Abraham Joseph, Asst. General Manager Operations, Cochin International Airport, and
- Howard Eng, President and Chief Executive Officer, Greater Toronto Airports Authority.
“Effective business continuity strategies can safeguard passengers and the airport community, enable the delivery of services to customers, sustain commercial revenue streams and protect infrastructure,” Angela Gittens said.
“This handbook will help our members to produce better and more appropriate plans that take account of a wide range of potential events, enable the airport operator to prepare and cope with challenges or incidents, and help them to maintain or return to normal operations as soon as possible.”
Notes for editors
- Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association of the world’s airports, was founded in 1991 with the objective of fostering cooperation among its member airports and other partners in world aviation, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Air Transport Association and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization. In representing the best interests of airports during key phases of policy development, ACI makes a significant contribution toward ensuring a global air transport system that is safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sustainable. As of January 2019, ACI serves 646 members, operating 1,960 airports in 176 countries.
- To order or for more information on the ACI Airport Business Continuity Management Handbook.
- More information on the second annual ACI Customer Experience Global Summit.
Media contacts
Bojana Jeremic
Manager, External Relations and Special Events
ACI World
Telephone: +1 514 373 1254
Email: mediarelations@aci.aero
Sabrina Guerrieri
Manager, Communications
ACI World
Telephone: +1 514 373 1200
Email: mediarelations@aci.aero