ACI launches accreditation programme to assess airport health measures
Accreditation is assessed against ICAO guidelines and aligned with those of ACI and EASA
Montreal, 24 July 2020 – Airports Council International (ACI) World has today launched the Airport Health Accreditation programme to assist airports by assessing new health measures and procedures introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic against global standards.
As airports around the world begin to restart and then prepare to sustain continuing operations they are focused on the health and welfare of travellers, staff, and the public.
The ACI Airport Health Accreditation programme provides airports with an assessment of how aligned their health measures are with the ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) Recommendations along with industry best practices.
The CART guidelines are very well aligned with the ACI Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines as well as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) COVID-19 Aviation Health Safety Protocol guidelines.
The programme enables airports to demonstrate to passengers, staff, regulators, and governments that they are prioritizing health and safety in a measurable, established manner while also validating their own measures and processes.
“While the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects have halted the airport industry at global level, airports are vital cogs in the aviation ecosystem, and our Airport Health Accreditation programme will help to restore passenger confidence in air travel.” ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. “As important engines of growth, wealth creation, and employment, the recovery of the airport sector will be a significant driver of the global economic recovery.
“Key to this recovery will be reassuring the travelling public that airports are prioritising health and safety and providing safe and hygienic facilities.
“Assessment is aligned with guidelines for health measures established by ICAO, EASA, and ACI to help airports to prioritise and promote a safe and healthy environment for passengers, staff and the public.
“Airports cannot do this in isolation, however, and collaboration, cooperation and consistency across the aviation industry will be the key to rebuilding global air services capacity and keeping passengers safe, healthy, and secure as we do this.
“To assist airports, ACI has developed the Airport Health Accreditation Programme to promote best practices and help align efforts across the industry to harmonize measures, processes, and procedures with ICAO, EASA, and ACI’s global guidance.”
Topics covered by the accreditation include cleaning and disinfection, physical distancing (where feasible and practical), staff protection, physical layout, passenger communications and passenger facilities.
Airports are communities – or mini-cities – so, to address this, all passenger areas and processes are considered including:
- terminal access and check-in area
- security screening
- boarding gates and lounges
- retail, food, and beverage areas
- gate equipment such as boarding bridges
- escalators and elevator
- border control areas and facilities (in collaboration with authorities), and
- baggage claim area and arrivals exit.
The programme is voluntary and open to all ACI member airports of all sizes in all regions. Upon submission of the completed questionnaire and all supporting materials, a virtual evaluation is conducted online by ACI to determine that health measures are being applied in alignment with ICAO CART guidelines, as well as EASA, and ACI recovery guidance, including ACI EUROPE’s Guidelines for a Healthy Passenger Experience at Airports.
Notes for editors
- More information about the ACI Airport Health Accreditation Programme.
- Stay up to date with ACI World’s COVID-19 communications through its dedicated news hub.
- 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, customer-centric and environmentally sustainable. As of January 2020, ACI serves 668 members, operating 1979 airports in 176 countries.
Media contacts
Bojana Jeremic
Manager, External Relations and Special Events
ACI World
Telephone: +1 514 373 1254
Email: mediarelations@aci.aero