ACI Media Press Release Archives (2007)
Alleviating congestion is environmentally responsible - 19/10/2007
| Cannes, 19 October 2007 – Airports Council International says the air transport industry can grow while respecting its environmental commitments. Addressing aviation delegates at the World Air Transport Forum 2007 in Cannes today, ACI Director General Robert J Aaronson said, “The question is how, and what are the best strategies for each of the aviation stakeholders to employ in meeting their environmental responsibilities. Many tools are available today to better balance the use of infrastructure and the flow of traffic in an environmentally responsible way that reduces congestion and also reduces emissions.” | |
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Responsible and timely building of new infrastructure actually helps to eliminate the unnecessary emissions caused by en route or ramp congestion. Simply optimising current airport capacity will not be sufficient to avoid future congestion, and Aaronson supports the use of market-based mechanisms as effective means to better balance the system. “Clearly airports must consider economic incentives as well as other avenues to encourage the most efficient use of airport facilities.”
Adequate infrastructure can significantly reduce the fuel wasted by aircraft in holding patterns and waiting on taxiways. He said, “The stack-up on runways is unsustainable. According to the FAA, air transport system delays in the United States are forecast to cost the economy $22 billion a year by 2015. There is also an enormous cost to the environment of having aircraft sitting on the tarmac, engines spooling, going nowhere. The cost in terms of customer service is incalculable.” Airports strongly prefer to optimise the use airport facilities, not limit them. “Scheduling co-ordination and allocation of airport slots maintains a degree of coherence and stability in international air transport. However, with a few exceptions, the procedures and processes of slot allocation are still dominated by the interests of individual airlines,” observed Aaronson. “Airports should be leading this process to achieve better balance.” ACI also supports adaptable, flexible charging structures for airlines and general aviation. Despite best efforts of airport operators to expand their capacity to meet demand and remove artificial capacity restrictions, traffic peaking may reduce the effects of those efforts. “This is a subject of serious concern for airport operators around the world. Airlines charge different fares at different hours of the day and different times of the year, and it works. Airports should be able to do the same - letting market forces distribute the load and reduce congestion. This is both good business practice and good environmental practice.” Aaronson concluded, “The key issue is to compensate for growth through effective strategic planning, technological and operational improvements and judicious use of economic tools - addressing the issue, not just with words, but with actions and solutions that produce results and demonstrate our commitment. We can do that, and we must do it together.” | |
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