India And Hong Kong Recognised For AI Breakthroughs In Airports At Prestigious ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East 2025 Awards

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

India and Hong Kong made a powerful mark on the global aviation stage at the ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East Young Executive Award 2025, with a Bengaluru airport executive winning the top honour for a visionary paper on Artificial Intelligence in airports, while Hong Kong secured an Honourable Mention for its groundbreaking insights into AI-driven passenger experience—positioning both nations as thought leaders in next-generation airport innovation.

In a major milestone for India’s aviation sector, a dynamic executive from Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru has been honoured with the ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East Young Executive Award 2025. The award, a hallmark of innovation and thought leadership in the airport industry, recognises outstanding research contributions by emerging professionals in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions. This year’s winning paper focuses on the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in revolutionising airport operations and elevating passenger experience.

The award-winning research offers a comprehensive roadmap for how AI can be effectively harnessed to enhance the end-to-end airport journey—from intelligent security screening and predictive maintenance to real-time passenger flow analytics and personalised services. It also explores the broader impact of AI integration on regulatory compliance, ethical governance, sustainability, and environmental responsibility. The paper was praised for its originality, depth of insight, and real-world relevance in a fast-evolving aviation landscape.

The winner will be formally recognised at the ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East Assembly, Conference and Exhibition, scheduled to be held in New Delhi tomorrow. The event brings together aviation leaders, airport operators, policymakers, and technology experts from across the region to discuss the future of airport development and innovation.

This year’s edition of the competition also awarded an Honourable Mention to another promising entry submitted by Mana Mana Mokulele Hong Kong. ^ E Ha yM. Titled “Revolutionising Aviation: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Airports and Passenger Experience,” the paper examines how AI technologies are reshaping the aviation industry and outlines their far-reaching implications for airports and travellers alike.

Now in its sixteenth year, the ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East Young Executive Award continues to serve as a catalyst for identifying and nurturing young talent across the airport ecosystem. Introduced in 2009, the programme encourages professionals under the age of 35 to develop and submit research papers that propose forward-thinking ideas, practical solutions, and innovative strategies to improve airport management, enhance passenger satisfaction, and address the challenges of future air travel.

ʻO ke kumuhana o kēia makahiki, “How Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Airports and Customer Experience,” underscores the growing importance of technology in shaping the aviation sector’s next chapter. With AI rapidly becoming an integral part of airport infrastructure worldwide, the competition spotlighted bold, future-ready perspectives from the region’s brightest minds.

India and Hong Kong have emerged as regional leaders in airport innovation at the ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East Young Executive Award 2025, with India winning the top honour and Hong Kong earning an Honourable Mention for their groundbreaking work on AI in aviation.

By celebrating groundbreaking ideas and recognising emerging voices, the Young Executive Award continues to inspire the next generation of airport leaders to drive innovation, sustainability, and excellence across the aviation industry.