Central Asia's Aviation Boom Demands Billions in Infrastructure, ACI Europe

Central Asia is currently experiencing one of the world's most rapid periods of aviation expansion, a trend that demands multi-billion dollar infrastructure investments across the region's airports. Michael Stanton-Geddes, Director of Economics and Competition at ACI Europe, emphasized this urgent need during the Central Asia Aviation Summit in Tashkent, highlighting that current expansion plans are insufficient to accommodate future demand.

Over the past decade, passenger traffic growth in Central Asia has surpassed nearly all other global regions. Nineteen regional airports have successfully doubled their traffic volumes, with Uzbekistan serving as a prime example; Tashkent Airport alone recorded an almost 700 percent increase. Significant growth has also been observed in Samarkand, Fergana, Namangan, and in neighboring capitals like Astana, underscoring the widespread nature of this aviation boom.

Stanton-Geddes underscored that unlike flexible airlines, airports are capital-intensive, slow-moving assets requiring planning horizons of 30 to 50 years. To sustain this growth, airports need stable regulatory policies, long-term government support, and innovative financing models such as public-private partnerships. He cited Europe's experience, where pandemic-related debt increased by nearly €30 billion for airports, as a cautionary tale, stressing the importance of market openness and predictable rules for investors.

The region's robust economic growth, with the IMF projecting an average GDP increase of about 4 percent in the coming years, directly fuels demand for air travel. Aviation acts as a "superpower" for economic development, fostering trade, investment, and employment. ACI Europe believes that with the right strategic investments and regulatory frameworks, Central Asia possesses the potential to become one of the most dynamic aviation regions globally, a stark contrast to regions contemplating air traffic reductions.