ACI joins global aviation partners to strengthen runway safety
Airports are at the heart of a new global initiative to further strengthen runway safety, as Airports Council International (ACI), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) join forces to reduce the risk of runway incursions.
Launched on 28 July 2026, the Joint Runway Safety Initiative brings together airlines, airports, air navigation service providers, regulators and frontline personnel around a shared objective: identifying runway risks earlier and taking coordinated action to prevent them.
For airports, the initiative places particular emphasis on strengthening Local Runway Safety Teams (LRSTs). These teams provide a vital forum for airport operators, airlines and air traffic management stakeholders to assess local risks, share operational knowledge and agree practical safety measures. The initiative focuses on three key areas: improving safety reporting and data capture, strengthening Local Runway Safety Teams, and sharing progress and lessons learned so that effective practices can be adopted more widely.
“Airports sit at the centre of this challenge, where every part of the aviation system converges. Local knowledge and sustained collaboration are what turn safety guidance into real reductions in risk, and ACI is committed to supporting our members as they put these tools to work,” said Darryl Dowd, Vice President of Safety, Security and Operations, ACI World.
The initiative builds on global work including the Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions (GAPPRI) and ICAO’s Global Runway Safety Action Plan, reinforcing the aviation sector’s collective commitment to continuously improving safety. ACI is supporting the initiative through existing safety expertise and tools, including its Runway Safety Team Implementation Package, developed through the APEX in Safety programme, and the Runway Safety Checklist, co-developed by ACI and CANSO.
Find out more here.
