Sunday, February 15, 2009

Conflicto de intereses de Airports Council International (ACI)

The recent spat between the Airports Council Europe and Ryanair seems to have opened a division in the policy and thinking of the global trade body ACI. ACI Europe recently made a fierce attack on Ryanair with regard to their strict enforcement of carry on baggage and the effect this will have on "Duty Free"sales.On the other hand ACI North America have a study group and apparent interest to support the concept of "Duty Free on Arrival" .Likewise, on the ACI North America site there is an environmental paper "Minimising Aviation's environmental footprint at airports"It seems a paradox that in Europe where alleged "Duty Free" (Travel Value) goods can be legally delivered on the ground and on arrival there is a ferocious backlash to Ryanair's attempts to control aircraft weight, whereas the very organisation that issues a paper on Aviation "Going Green" doesn't seem to wish to support such an obvious and simple green initiative in Europe.
This is the North America link where they support arrivals duty free.
http://www.aci-na.org/index/todaysnews_airport_0208a

This is this ACI Europe link whre they profess the opposite policy to North America.

http://www.aci-europe.org/upload/09_02_04%20European%20airports%20significantly%20exposed%20by%20Ryanairs%20one-bag%20rule.pdf