ACI World, with the support of ACI-North America, has released a comprehensive guidance document titled «Airport Capacity: Guidance on Airport Capacity Declaration» in response to the overdemand faced by more than 360 airports globally. The document provides clear guidance in three key areas: principles of capacity assessment and declaration, governance, roles and responsibilities, and capacity assessment guidelines.
Philippe Villard, Vice President of Economic Policy at ACI-North America, and Franco Sartor, Manager, Policy Analysis, ACI World, stress in a publication in the ACI World Blog that efficient airport operations management and effective capacity utilization are crucial for optimizing travel experiences. This is particularly important when the level of demand significantly exceeds the airport infrastructure’s capacity.
The guidance highlights fundamental principles common to the capacity assessment and declaration processes at airports facing capacity constraints. These principles include capacity and levels of service, objective methodologies for capacity optimization, efficient use, flexibility, and setting coordination parameters.
It also details the importance of effective coordination and collaboration among airport stakeholders for successful capacity management. The guidance underscores the critical role of airports and outlines their responsibilities, emphasizing the significance of consulting with stakeholders to make the final capacity declaration decision.
Finally, the document provides detailed guidelines for capacity assessment based on local circumstances, covering aspects like runway capacity, apron capacity, terminal capacity, and environmental capacity.
This document has been prepared by Mott MacDonald Limited on behalf of ACI, and the financial and technical contributions of ACI North America and the expert input of the ACI Expert Group on Slots are appreciated. The resource is expected to serve as a valuable tool for airports to optimize their operations and enhance the passenger experience.
