Bonjour! I’m in Montréal where the ACI World Governing Board has just completed its semi-annual meeting.
John Clark (former ACI-NA chair and CEO of the Indianapolis Airport) and I in the chamber that houses the ICAO Air Navigation Council.
Montréal is the home of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This United Nations organization sets and oversees global standards on such matters as noise, emissions, safety, technical and operational issues and other matters. Its members are more than 190 countries. Airports Council International is the officially accredited airport representative to ICAO.
Prior to the board meeting a number of us met with the U.S. representatives to ICAO, as well as with the ICAO secretary general and president of the ICAO Council. ACI staff and members from other countries met with their nations’ representatives to ICAO.
It is critical that airports have a voice here and as the global voice of airports, ACI plays a critical role in promoting a safe, secure and efficient air transportation system on a global level.
The role of ICAO and the fact that aviation is a truly global business often get lost in the hurly burly of everyday life. But a truly effective international air transportation system would be impossible without the work done here and ACI’s role ensuring airport (and passenger) interests are taken into account, is very important. It is also a factor that helps make ACI truly unique among aviation organizations.
Posted by Greg 
