# ACI World airport capacity and regulation advocacy

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/aci-world-airport-capacity-and-regulation-advocacy
> Updated: 2026-09-27T22:43:06.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 3.

ACI World has advocated for significant reforms and investments to address global airport capacity challenges. Initially, the organization released a white paper calling for the modernization of the airport slot allocation system, arguing that the current regulatory framework is outdated. Director General Justin Erbacci described the industry as attempting to operate using a ‘1970s operating system’ that prevents competitive fares and resilient networks.

Following these calls for regulatory updates, ACI World expanded its focus to include the need for massive government investment. During a meeting in Lima, the organization stated that the aviation sector may require approximately $4.6 trillion in investment by 2055 to meet projected demand. This demand is driven by forecasts that global airport traffic will reach 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, with significant growth expected in Africa, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region.

At the ACI-LAC/World Annual General Assembly in Lima, leadership reinforced these calls for reform. Justin Erbacci urged governments to treat airport capacity as a ‘national economic priority,’ emphasizing that capacity creation must involve optimizing existing infrastructure and establishing stable regulations to facilitate financing for expansions. 

Focusing on the Latin American region, ACI-LAC Director Rafael Echevarne advocated for the total deregulation of airspace, proposing a model similar to Europe. Echevarne argued that allowing airlines to operate across borders without requiring individual government permissions for every route would increase connectivity, passenger choice, and competitiveness while lowering prices.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-27: ACI urges global investment and airspace deregulation

ACI leaders in Lima are calling for massive aviation infrastructure investment and airspace deregulation in Latin America to manage projected growth and increase market competition.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/aci-urges-global-investment-and-airspace-deregulation

### 2026-09-26: ACI World urges government investment to meet record airport traffic

ACI World reports record global airport traffic of 9.8 billion passengers expected in 2025 and urges governments to invest $4.6 trillion in capacity and infrastructure by 2055.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/aci-world-urges-government-investment-to-meet-record-airport-traffic

### 2026-09-15: ACI World calls for modernization of airport slot system

ACI World is calling for a modernization of the global airport slot allocation system, warning that a 50-year-old regulatory framework is causing inefficiencies and a capacity crisis.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/aci-world-calls-for-modernization-of-airport-slot-system

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Cite as: ACI World airport capacity and regulation advocacy. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/aci-world-airport-capacity-and-regulation-advocacy