Airports Look to Strengthen Community Ties Through New ACI World Webinar

Airports around the world are under growing pressure to balance expansion with environmental and social responsibility. Against this backdrop, Airports Council International World (ACI World) will host a global webinar on 12 March 2026 aimed at strengthening relationships between airports and the communities they serve.

Titled “Strengthening Airport Community Relationships,” the one-hour session will introduce ACI World’s newly released publication, Airport Community Engagement: Guidance and Best Practices. The document sets out practical frameworks and case studies designed to help airport operators improve dialogue, manage operational impacts, and build long-term partnerships with local stakeholders.

The message is straightforward: airports thrive when their communities thrive. As passenger traffic rebounds and long-term forecasts point to sustained growth, community expectations around noise management, sustainability, and transparency are rising. For airport operators, maintaining a social licence to operate has become as critical as securing airline routes or retail revenue.

The webinar will be moderated by Clint Morrow, Vice President at BridgeNet International, a Tetra Tech company. He will be joined by a panel of industry practitioners bringing hands-on experience from major international hubs.

Rachel Min-Brown, Environmental Analyst at Vancouver Airport Authority, will share insights from a North American perspective, where environmental performance and public consultation have become central to airport development strategies. Jonathan Pam, who leads Operational Impacts and Community Engagement at Heathrow, will outline how one of the world’s busiest hubs manages dialogue around complex operational impacts. Susan Thomas, Group Head of Noise and Community Engagement Strategy at MAG (Airports Group), will discuss structured approaches to noise mitigation and stakeholder communication across multiple UK airports.

For the airport sector, community engagement is no longer a soft function. It has direct implications for infrastructure approvals, operating hours, expansion plans, and ultimately commercial performance. Retail, real estate, and advertising revenues — including fast-growing digital out-of-home networks inside terminals — depend on stable, predictable operating environments supported by local communities.

The timing of the discussion is notable. With global passenger traffic expected to exceed 10 billion in the near term, airports are investing heavily in capacity and digital transformation. However, expansion without community alignment risks delays, legal challenges, and reputational damage.

By focusing on practical strategies and real-world case studies, ACI World is positioning community engagement as a core management discipline rather than a reactive communications exercise. For airport leaders, the webinar offers an opportunity to benchmark approaches and refine stakeholder strategies in an increasingly complex operating environment.

As airports evolve into integrated mobility and commercial ecosystems, the industry’s long-term growth will depend not only on passenger numbers, but on trust.