ACI World Economics Committee Update
Cindy Nichol
April 24, 2017
ACI World Economics Committee Initiatives
I. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Initiatives
UN Specialized Agency with several active economics working groups
1. Non-Economically Viable Airports (ICAO DOC 9082)
o Goal: Help small airports that lose money to be economically viable
o US representative (FAA) supports saying government funding is ok but not
cross-subsidization by other airports
o Reality in North America
o
 FAA Rates & Charges Policy (2.5.4) explicitly allows cross-subsidization if the airports are
open, run by the same proprietor, and the subsidized airports provide aviation benefits to
the subsidizing airport (e.g. relievers)
 Has over 200 airports in 62 multi-airport systems each with a single operator; crosssubsidies from the larger airport in the system to the smaller airports are common
WEC Actions:
o Analysis of airport networks worldwide
o Working Paper on Airport Networks
o Participating in ICAO Airports Economic Panel
(May 23-25 in Montreal)
ACI World Economics Committee Initiatives
I. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Initiative
(Continued)
2. Airport User Charges e-tool (“ICAO SmartSky” Tool; ICAO DOC 7100)
o Goal: Provide analytical and audit capabilities independent from
IATA’s “Airport Charges Intelligence Tool” a pdf with often outdated data
and that is not interactive
o ICAO investing significant staff time in non-profit initiative
o FAA is interested, as are regulators in other countries, as a means to better
benchmark airport rates and charges
o
WEC Actions:
o Established working group of subject matter experts
o
Working with ICAO to shape the platform, beta test and validate results
ACI World Economics Committee Initiatives
I. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Initiative
(Continued)
3. Slot Allocation
o Goal: Involve airport operators in modernizing the World Scheduling Guidelines
(WSG)
o Despite strong airline opposition, ICAO passed a resolution for ACI and IATA to work
together on developing a more efficient and effective slot allocation process
o
WEC Actions:
o ACI-World’s Expert Group on Slots, including WEC members, developed a working
paper that was presented at the 39th ICAO Assembly and influenced the resolution
o
Currently writing a working paper to be finalized in May
o
Meeting with IATA and airport coordinators in June
o
Then 2-year process of reviewing WSG will start
4. Noise Charges (ICAO DOC 9562)
o Goal: Provide information and influence best practices
o
WEC Actions:
o ACI to draft a working paper on noise charges and
possibly submit jointly with IATA (reinforce opposition to
imposed operation restrictions)
ACI World Economics Committee Initiatives
II. ACI-WEC Economic Policy Briefs
Goal: Provide information on and influence best practices
1. Airport Ownership and Economic Regulation
o
WEC Actions: ACI Presented the policy brief during the London Economics &
Finance Conference in London
2. Airport Charges vs. Taxes
o
WEC Actions: ACI to develop a policy brief in 2017
3. Guidelines on Transparency and Consultation with Users
o
WEC Actions: Draft guidelines disseminated to WEC members and
received comments
ACI World Economics Committee Initiatives
III. ACI-WEC Data and Reporting
Goal: Provide actual, not alternative information on and influence best practices
1. Airport Economics Information Needs (AEIN)
o
WEC Actions: Working group stocktaking exercise on capacity measurements,
future themes, expected outputs, and timeline
2. ACI World Air Traffic Report (WATR)
o
WEC Actions: Annual report with data from 2,300 airports representing 95% of world
passengers
3. ACI World Air Traffic Forecast (WATF)
o
o
WEC Actions: Annual unconstrained forecast
North America (Canada & US) passenger growth forecast to be 5.3% per year
4. Airport Service Quality
o
o
ASQ efforts this year include improving data quality, bringing in a new auditor
and new grading system, moving from paper surveys to tablets,
and assessing whether there is bias in survey responses based on
regional perspectives
Chris Poinsatte is WEC liaison