Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific & Middle East is urging regulators to work with airports to ensure that the latest security innovations and processes are considered when designing new airport terminals.
ACI delivered a presentation at the 12th International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Asia & Pacific Regional Aviation Security Coordination Forum, emphasizing the importance of the concept of security-by-design, which refers to the integration of security considerations in the design and drawing phase of any new or renovating airport infrastructure. The forum was held in Manila, Philippines, July 25-26. Over 80 aviation security experts from state regulators in Asia-Pacific and industry associations attended the ICAO annual regional security forum.
The presentation was very timely for the Asia-Pacific region, in view of the significant forecast growth in capital investment in airport infrastructure development in the area in the next few decades. Several airport mega-projects have started or are about to start construction, such as Noida International Airport in India, U-Tapao International Airport in Thailand, and Western Sydney International Airport in Australia.
Many airports in the region are facing challenges of aging infrastructure; some of them were built in the 1970s or 1980s. From the perspective of security operations, many of the existing airport facilities have already reached capacity limits and are no longer keeping up with developments in technology, regulatory requirements, threats and risks, and passenger expectations. For example, space limitations at passenger security checkpoints are making it difficult for many airports in the region to trial or deploy advanced screening technologies, as these are usually heavier and require more space than conventional screening machines. Another example is that the terminal frontage area is not designed in a way that better protects the airport from landside attacks, including hostile vehicle attacks that have become more frequent in recent years.
In view of these challenges, ACI says state regulators should work closely with airports to ensure security considerations are integrated into the upfront design of new airport infrastructure. Consequently, operations will ultimately become more effective and efficient, minimizing the need for significant retrofitting in the future.
A number of other issues were discussed at the forum, including the implementation progress of the ICAO Global Aviation Security Plan (GASeP), capacity-building initiatives in the region, and sharing of best practices in cybersecurity and other emerging threats. The next forum will be held in June 2025.
In related news, the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Excellence (APEX) review program in security was recently conducted at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI). Hosted by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), it was the first APEX review conducted in Malaysia. Click here to read the full story.