HKIA Hosts Assembly for Global Aviation Leaders

The 2019 Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific/ World Annual General Assembly Conference & Exhibition (WAGA) officially began its main session today, welcoming more than 800 airport and aviation industry leaders, experts and professionals as well as over 60 exhibitors from around the world. The event is organised by ACI and hosted by Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), running from 2-4 April. The theme of the gathering this year is “What’s next for aviation? The future starts now”.

In her welcome address to the attendees, Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said, “With our airport sitting right at the heart of the 'double gateway' connecting the Greater Bay Area at the one end and to the world at the other, Hong Kong offers seamless air-to-land and air-to-sea connections with a huge number of nearby destinations. It makes perfect sense to leverage on the unique advantage of our airport to foster a wider network of inter-related business activities. Indeed, our vision is to engineer our city's airport to become an Aerotropolis with huge and high economic efficiency and diversified employment opportunities, so as to enhance Hong Kong's position as an international business centre. The development of Aerotropolis is in line with worldwide trend, and we are embarking on various novel and exciting developments to make this happen.”

Fred Lam, Chief Executive Officer of Airport Authority Hong Kong, said, “I would like to thank ACI for choosing Hong Kong as the venue for this important event, and I am grateful to all of our participants for flying all the way to Hong Kong to attend this year’s conference. Hong Kong is renowned for its sophistication as a modern, international city, yet endowed with rich Chinese culture and traditions. It is our pleasure and honour to host the aviation industry’s flagship events in Hong Kong to facilitate exchange of ideas and knowledge among airport operators and partners.”

Martin Eurnekian, Chair of ACI World, remarked, “In light of future air travel demand, this event provides aviation leaders and industry stakeholders the opportunity to put our heads together and to think critically and creatively about key topics. We will seek solutions including the task of accommodating growth, major developments in aircraft operations, resilience and adaptation to climate change, the customer experience revolution, new experiences in travel technologies, and innovations in security.”

This is the first time HKIA has hosted such a prominent aviation event, which has demonstrated its leading status in the industry. The ACI WAGA meeting brings together global industry leaders and representatives over the course of three days to vote on key decisions and assess future prospects. Separate panel discussions are also organised to address topics such as capacity challenges, customer experience management and airport security.

The exhibition attracts representatives from international airports, civil aviation associations, technology enterprises, and other industry organisations and companies, serving as a valuable networking opportunity for professionals to exchange insights and learn about the latest trends and technologies. HKIA is using the opportunity to showcase its overall development, with highlights on the applications of smart technologies such as the immersive cave system powered by the latest virtual reality (VR) technologies, illustrating how digital twin can assist in the planning of construction projects through visualisation and testing in early planning stages. HKIA is also displaying the VR airside driving console, tailored for training staff on managing the unique driving environment of airport airside.

ACI WAGA also provides the opportunity to demonstrate Hong Kong as a vibrant international city and to promote its unique culture. HKIA is organising a number of tours to introduce delegates to Hong Kong’s signature scenic spots and cultural attractions. HKIA also showcases its efficient operations and service excellence through a behind-the-scene airport tour to the delegates.

ACI is an industry association representing the collective interests of the world’s 1,953 airport members and promoting excellence in airport management. ACI WAGA is the annual conference for ACI members worldwide and rotates among the five ACI regions. The ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly Conference & Exhibition (APAA) is one of the most influential annual airport conferences in Asia Pacific.