Tourexpi
More than 500 airport industry leaders and
professionals will gather in Lima from 27 to 29 September for WAGA 2026, the
ACI LAC/ACI World Annual General Assembly & Exhibition. The event will
bring together representatives of airports, governments, international
organisations and aviation-related companies from around the world.
Organised jointly by Airports Council International
World and ACI Latin America and Caribbean, with Lima Airport Partners as host,
the three-day conference will address some of the most pressing issues facing
air transport. Connectivity, airport infrastructure, digital transformation,
sustainability and the changing passenger experience will be among the main
topics.
Airports prepare for future growth
The conference programme will examine how airports can
adapt to rising demand while responding to technological, environmental and
operational change.
Sessions will cover operational safety, the
relationship between airports, tourism and logistics, advanced air mobility,
emerging technologies and the energy transition. Participants will also discuss
new development models and the infrastructure required to meet the changing
needs of passengers, airlines and destinations.
Among the industry leaders attending will be Jost
Lammers, President of ACI World and CEO of Munich Airport; Justin Erbacci,
Director General of ACI World; Juan José Salmón, President of ACI-LAC and CEO
of Lima Airport; and Rafael Echevarne, Director General of ACI-LAC.
The programme will also feature the traditional CEO
Panel, bringing together senior executives from different regions to exchange
views on the challenges facing the global airport industry.
Latin America connects with the global airport
industry
“Lima will become the meeting point for the main
leaders of global aviation during these days and a platform to discuss the
challenges that will define the growth of the sector in our region,” said
Rafael Echevarne.
According to Echevarne, issues including operational
safety, air connectivity, digital transformation, advanced air mobility and the
energy transition require a coordinated, long-term approach.
Holding WAGA jointly with ACI World is also intended
to strengthen dialogue between airports in Latin America and the Caribbean and
their international counterparts, giving the region a stronger presence in
discussions about the future of global aviation.
Air Transport Summit follows on 30 September
Lima’s role as an aviation industry meeting point will
continue immediately after WAGA. On 30 September, the Peruvian capital will
host the Air Transport Summit, convened by ACI-LAC together with ICAO, Peru’s
Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics and the Latin American Civil Aviation
Commission.
Authorities and industry specialists from Latin
America and the Caribbean will focus on four areas: connectivity and the
liberalisation and deregulation of air transport markets; operational safety
and regulatory compliance; passenger facilitation and technology; and airport
economics, capacity and governance.
One of the principal objectives will be to make
progress towards a Lima Declaration on Air Connectivity. The initiative is
expected to include proposals for regional cooperation on market
liberalisation, regulatory harmonisation, simplified flight authorisations,
passenger facilitation and the adoption of new technologies.
Four days of aviation debate in Lima
With WAGA 2026 followed directly by the Air Transport
Summit, Lima will host four consecutive days of international aviation
discussions.
For Latin America and the Caribbean, the meetings
provide an opportunity to bring regional connectivity and infrastructure
requirements into a global forum while strengthening cooperation between
airports, regulators and other aviation stakeholders. The discussions will
ultimately centre on how the region can improve connectivity, efficiency and
competitiveness as air transport continues to develop.
Image Credit: © AI generated illustration with material courtesy of ACI
- LAC News
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