Malaysia Airports to Host ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East Regional Assembly and Conference 2027 in Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia Airports will host the Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific & Middle East Regional Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (RACE) 2027 in Kuala Lumpur, following the official handover ceremony held today at the conclusion of this year’s conference in Bangkok.
The annual gathering is among the aviation industry’s most significant regional platforms, bringing together airport leaders, regulators, policymakers and aviation stakeholders from across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East to discuss the future of airports, connectivity, sustainability, technology and operational excellence.
Malaysia Airports’ role as next year’s host reflects its longstanding engagement with ACI and its continued contribution to regional aviation dialogue and industry development. Malaysia Airports has been actively involved with ACI since the mid-1990s, with representation across regional boards, technical committees and industry working groups spanning areas such as operational safety, economics, sustainability, aviation security, human capital and airport technology.
The company has also previously hosted major ACI events, including in Kuala Lumpur in 2009 and Langkawi in 2018, and will build on those experiences as it prepares to welcome the regional aviation community once again in 2027.
Managing Director of Malaysia Airports, Dato’ Mohd Izani Ghani said the conference presents an important platform for airports across the region to exchange perspectives and strengthen collaboration on the future of aviation, “ACI continues to play an important role in bringing the global airport community together to address shared opportunities and challenges across the aviation ecosystem. This is an opportunity not only to showcase Malaysia’s connectivity and aviation capabilities, but also to contribute meaningfully to discussions on the future of airports, particularly in areas such as sustainability, operational resilience, technology and passenger experience.”
At this year’s conference in Bangkok, Malaysia Airports participated actively through several leadership engagements and speaking sessions involving members of its executive leadership team. Dato’ Mohd Izani Ghani participated in the Leaders Dialogue session titled “Prosperity Through Leadership: Reimagining the Airport’s Role in a Changing World”, focusing on how airports are evolving amid changing travel patterns, technology adoption and increasing demands on connectivity and resilience.
Chief Human Capital Officer, Nadiah Tan Abdullah, spoke on people-centric organisational transformation and workforce readiness, while Chief Information Officer, Vijaykumar Dayinde, participated in discussions on strengthening airport cybersecurity resilience amid growing digitalisation across the aviation sector.
Malaysia Airports also received recognition during the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) Awards ceremony, where Penang International Airport (PEN) and Kuching International Airport (KCH) achieved ACA Level 1 accreditation, recognising airports that have established a verified carbon footprint and committed to active carbon management and reporting. This follows earlier ACA Level 1 accreditations achieved by Langkawi International Airport (LGK) and Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI), while KL International Airport (KLIA) currently holds ACA Level 3 accreditation. These achievements reflect the implementation of sustainability initiatives across the network, including energy efficiency measures and continuous carbon emissions monitoring, as part of Malaysia Airports’ broader decarbonisation agenda.
The ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East Regional Assembly, Conference and Exhibition 2026 was hosted by Airports of Thailand under the theme “Airports as Engines of Shared Prosperity” and brought together airport operators and aviation stakeholders from across the region to address emerging opportunities and challenges shaping the future of aviation.