ACI Asia-Pacific Board Moves Meeting to KL

By Hamisah Hamid

CAIRNS: The decision by the Airport Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific regional board of directors to hold its meeting in Kuala Lumpur, instead of Boston, will provide a boost to the 14th World Route Development Forum (Routes KL) to be held in October this year.

This means an additional 28 chief executive officers of the world’s airports will be in Kuala Lumpur during Routes KL – the world’s leading airport-airline networking event.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) managing director Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad said the ACI Asia-Pacific board meeting was scheduled to be held in Boston this September, in conjunction with the World ACI General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition.

“However, the board, during its meeting here, has decided to hold the next meeting in Kuala Lumpur during Routes KL, instead of Boston. This provides further support to Routes KL,” he told Business Times on the sidelines of the ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly, Conference and Exhibition here yesterday.

ACI Asia-Pacific is part of ACI, an association that acts as a voice of all airports around the world. Established in 1991, ACI represents 580 airports operating over 1,640 airports in 175 countries and territories.

There are 28 ACI Asia-Pacific regional board members, including Bashir.

Meanwhile, Malaysia is the first Asian country to host Routes – an airport-airline networking event – which is traditionally held annually in Europe.

MAHB edged out three rivals – Bangkok, Beijing and Changi international airports – in a bid to host Routes 2008.

With the tagline “The World is coming to KUL”, Routes KL is expected to attract 2,500 delegates from 350 airlines and 650 airports around the world.

Some 1,000 exhibitors will take part in the event, which will be held from October 12 to 14.

Routes KL will feature seven co-located events including the Routes Leaders Forum, the World Fleet Forum, the Fourth International Civil Aviation Organisation/World Bank Forum and the Asian Tourism Conference.

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