New ACI-ICAO Airport Safety Professional Qualification Program Launched

Airports Council International (ACI) World and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have, on Nov. 4, launched a new global qualification program for airport safety professionals and civil aviation regulators. 

The ACI/ICAO Airport Safety Professional (ASP) program is the first and only joint professional aviation program of its kind and will help to support global airport industry recovery by assisting airports to align safety practices with ICAO.

Designed by industry leaders from both organizations, it validates an individual’s dedication and expertise by promoting professional excellence in the field of airport airside operations. Graduates will be able to use the industry designation of ASP which is a welcomed addition to the global ACI-ICAO International Airport Professional management designation of IAP.

“The safety of our passengers and collaborators is our number one priority, and this new programme promotes ACI’s leading practices alongside ICAO industry safety standards and recommended practices giving students an invaluable/extensive learning experience,” ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. “This programme was developed through our strong relationship with ICAO and our joint efforts to offer only the highest quality of training in the industry. Partnerships like this, forged with our global partners, are key in promoting the development of the entire aviation ecosystem and providing the skills and expertise need to carry the industry through recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The successful recovery and resumption of global air transport operations relies significantly on the technical and managerial skills of airport safety professionals and airport civil aviation regulators, and on their capacity to innovate in the face of the many challenges now confronting our sector and the societies and industries it serves,” remarked ICAO Secretary General Fang Liu.

“This new ICAO-ACI initiative will help assure we maintain a safe, secure, and efficient aviation system supporting both current essential air cargo and other services, and pandemic air transport recovery more generally.”

The new ASP, while the first in the area of safety, is the second successful initiative jointly offered by ICAO and ACI. The Global ICAO-ACI Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme (AMPAP) was first introduced in 2007 and has since recognized more than 1,000 International Airport Professionals (IAPs) globally.

To be accredited as an Airport Safety Professional and awarded the ASP designation, candidates must pass the online validation exam within one year after successfully completing the required mandatory courses and elective course. The mandatory and elective courses must be completed within a three-year timeframe.

Each course is delivered exclusively by certified ICAO and ACI instructors and based on ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and ACI industry best practices.

The pilot program took place in Brazil, with several others already lined up. While initially delivered in English, ACI and ICAO plan to expand the number of languages offered for each course using global and local case studies.