ACI World launches the Airport Excellence (APEX) in Security programme

Airports Council International (ACI) announced the launch of the Airport Excellence (APEX) in Security programme at the 27th Airports Council International (ACI) Africa/World Annual General Assembly.
Time Aerospace thumbnail

 With the continuous and evolving security threat challenging the aviation industry, and a strong demand for compliance with standards coming from the UN Security Council, ICAO and governments, it has become imperative that airports have the most effective, appropriate and cost effective security measures in place. APEX in Security plays a key role in helping airports understand where they can improve, in terms of security standards, best practice and operational efficiency. 

Since the launch of the APEX in Safety Programme in 2012, ACI's strength and capability in bringing the airport community together to provide assistance and advice to airports has drawn strong interest from the membership and international organizations, including ICAO, the European Aviation Safety Agency, the Federal Aviation Administration, the European Commission and the World Bank. 

APEX in Security is run on similar lines to the popular APEX in Safety programme. It uses international standards and recommended practices, supplemented by implementation guidelines as its base, and supplements this with the expert views of seasoned practitioners from airports around the world. 

"A sustainable aviation industry is built upon a foundation of safety and security," said Gittens. "I am pleased to officially launch APEX in Security, one year after having signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ICAO, which sees both organizations working more closely towards the objectives of the programme. I hope that many airports will benefit from the knowledge, expertise and leadership of the community of airports. Every airport can benefit and every airport can contribute."

Speaking on behalf of the President of the ICAO Council, Jallow said "ICAO appreciates that great progress can be achieved on the basis of the excellent cooperation established between our Organization, ACI and other industry stakeholders. This is very important today as we seek to confront and manage the challenges of sectoral growth together, and to the benefit of operators, facilities, and sustainable societies all over the world. Member States remain very grateful for these proactive industry contributions and we will be looking forward to more of the same in the years ahead." 

Building on the success of APEX in Security in Mauritius, six further pilot reviews were conducted at member airports in Africa and Asia Pacific, and a strong pipeline of reviews is now being developed for the balance of 2017 and 2018.  

 
Vincent Chappard

Vincent Chappard

Vincent is an aerospace editor and consultant based in Paris.