Luis Felipe de Oliveira (left) and Julie Kitcher (right) signing the MoC.

Airports Council International (ACI) World and Airbus have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to support the industry’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of aviation.

In a statement ACI World noted this partnership leverages the strengths of the one of world’s leading aircraft manufacturers, and its own reach as the largest international association of airports to make significant progress in both decarbonising aviation and mitigating aircraft noise impact.

Luis Felipe de Oliveira, Director General and CEO of ACI World, commented: “ACI World and Airbus’ groundbreaking cooperation agreement marks a pivotal step in our journey towards a net-zero carbon aviation industry.

This strategic alliance underscores the unwavering commitment of airports worldwide to sustainable aviation, ensuring that we not only reduce our environmental impact but also maximise the socio-economic benefits of air travel.”

The alliance said it will address key areas including the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF); hydrogen technologies; advanced air mobility; operations efficiency;  and aircraft noise management practices.

“By focusing on key areas such as Sustainable Aviation Fuels, hydrogen technologies, advanced air mobility, operational efficiency, and aircraft noise management, we are setting new benchmarks for sustainability in aviation, and paving the way for a greener future,” added Oliver.

It will also foster the exchange of information and perspectives on low carbon operations, communicate industry progress, jointly develop guidance materials, and potentially formulate unified positions on policies and standards to achieve industry targets.

This collaboration builds on an existing partnership between Airbus and ACI Europe, which began two years ago and has similarly focused on the deployment of alternative energies such as hydrogen and SAF within European alliances, shared technical data with European airports, and communicated progress at key industry events.

“This partnership marks a significant step in our collective efforts to reduce aviation’s environmental impact,” noted Julie Kitcher, Chief Sustainability Officer at Airbus, who added:By combining our technological expertise with ACI World’s vast network and operational insights, we aim to influence policies and standards that support sustainable aviation and drive industry-wide innovation.

Together, we can create a cohesive and aligned approach to achieving our decarbonisation targets and enhancing the sustainability of the global aviation sector.”

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