Asia-Pacific Airports Recast as Drivers of Shared Prosperity at Bangkok Summit

 

 

More than 450 aviation leaders convene in Bangkok for ACI's annual regional assembly, with sustainability, digital transformation, and a looming 10-billion-passenger milestone dominating the agenda.

 

Asia-Pacific airports are being repositioned as engines of economic growth and regional development, as aviation leaders from across the globe convened in Bangkok this week for the Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific & Middle East Regional Assembly, Conference and Exhibition 2026 (APAC & MID RACE 2026).

 

Hosted by Airports of Thailand (AOT) and running from 12 to 14 May, the annual gathering brought together more than 450 senior executives, policymakers, and regulators under the theme Airports as Engines of Shared Prosperity. 

 

Attendees included representatives from Changi, Hong Kong International, Melbourne, Auckland, and Malaysia Airports, alongside civil aviation authorities from Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia, as well as delegates from the ASEAN Economic Community.

 

The overarching message was clear: airports can no longer be viewed merely as transport infrastructure. They are, speakers argued, catalysts for jobs, trade, tourism, and technological advancement – and the decisions made now will shape the region's economic trajectory for decades to come.
 

 

 

 

 

A region at a pivotal moment

Fred Lam, first vice president of ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East and chairman of the Airport Authority Hong Kong, set the scale of the challenge in stark terms.

 

By 2040, the Asia-Pacific region alone is expected to handle 10 billion passengers annually — a figure equal to the entire world's current total. 

 

To meet that demand, a planned $240 billion in capital expenditure is earmarked across the region over the next decade.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lam cited Hong Kong International Airport's third runway — commissioned in 2024 and boosting capacity by 50% — as an example of the bold infrastructure investment required. 

 

He also detailed the "Skytopia" airport city project, which aims to transform the airport into a cultural and commercial destination featuring art venues, exhibition spaces, and office developments. When an airport prospers, he argued, its surrounding community benefits through employment and what he described as "technological spillover".

 

 

 

 

The push for net zero

Sustainability emerged as one of the conference's defining themes. Paweena Jariyathitipong, president of AOT, confirmed that all six airports under the organisation's management have achieved Level 3 of the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme, with a target of reaching Level 5 — full Net Zero status — by 2050.

 

"As global aviation continues to transform, our industry also has to face important challenges with responsibility," she stated.

 

Efforts towards that goal include collaborating with Aeronautical Radio of Thailand to optimise aircraft guidance and cut emissions, and expanding the use of electric vehicles for ground services. 
 

Toshiyuki Onuma, president of the ICAO Council, reinforced the commitment in a pre-recorded keynote, noting that more than 185 airports worldwide are already supplying Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as part of the industry's drive towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

 

 

 

 

Digital transformation and security reform

Technology and modernisation featured prominently throughout the event. AOT called for a shift away from fixed-manpower security models towards technology-integrated screening systems, a move intended to accelerate efficiency and airport development. 
 

Onuma pointed to ICAO's Traveller Identification Programme (TRIP), which aims to enable seamless, secure passenger processing through digital travel credentials and biometric systems — before travellers even reach the airport.

 

Wider discussions addressed preparing workforces for an AI-driven future, advances in automation and robotics, cybersecurity threats, and the role of emerging technologies in advancing gender equity within the industry.

 

 

 

 

Middle East recovery and the case for collaboration

The assembly also acknowledged the difficulties facing parts of the region. Flight recovery in the Middle East has returned to near pre-crisis levels following ongoing conflict, but passenger numbers remain at roughly 60% of previous figures, with knock-on effects on fuel supply, tourism, and global logistics.

 

Paweena urged the industry to find "common ground" through data sharing and unified systems to ensure consistent, safe travel standards across differing national regulations. She closed her address with a call for airports to see themselves as partners rather than competitors. 

 

"Helping each other develop creates new, safe, and cost-effective routes," she said.

 

Onuma echoed the sentiment, highlighting ICAO's "No Country Left Behind" strategic goal — an initiative designed to ensure that all states, regardless of size or resources, can benefit fully from aviation's potential through shared knowledge and aligned policy.