Takeaways from ACI Europe 2026: The Future of Airport Innovation

Airports across Europe are entering a new phase of transformation. With passenger numbers continuing to grow and expectations rising, operators are rethinking how infrastructure is designed, scaled, and optimized. The focus is clear: build smarter, more efficient, and future-ready operations.

Daifuku Airport Netherlands and Daifuku Airport UK support this evolution by offering advanced baggage handling and automation solutions that help airports expand, modernize, and perform at their best.

Connecting in Prague

In June 2026, members of the Daifuku team gathered in Prague for the ACI Europe Annual Congress & General Assembly, one of the aviation industry’s most important forums for collaboration and innovation. They connected with partners, customers, and industry leaders from across Europe to exchange perspectives on the future of airport operations.

AI and Data: The Defining Topic

One theme stood out clearly across discussions, panels, and industry surveys: artificial intelligence is now at the center of airport transformation.

AI is no longer seen as a future capability; it is a key enabler of smarter airport operations today. From optimizing decision-making to improving coordination across stakeholders, AI is reshaping how airports operate at every level.

There is also a growing recognition across the industry that waiting to leverage data and AI comes at a cost. Airports are increasingly aligning on the idea that the time to act is now.

From A-CDM to Total Airport Management

AI is playing a critical role in the evolution of Airport Operations Plans (AOP) and Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM), key steps on the journey toward Total Airport Management (TAM).

While A-CDM is already mandated for 30 European airports, many others are voluntarily adopting similar frameworks, driven by the need for improved coordination and operational efficiency.

At its core, AOP establishes a foundation for collaboration across airport stakeholders, enabling:

• Better coordination between systems and teams
• Improved visibility of operations
• Faster and more informed decision-making

This shift is also reflected in technology strategies: 68% of airports are combining multiple technology solutions to support their operations, reinforcing the importance of interoperability and integration.

Enabling Collaboration with Sym3

This is where Sym3, Daifuku’s visualization platform, plays a key role.

Originally optimized for baggage operations, Sym3 has evolved into a powerful tool that connects and visualizes data across multiple airport systems, including:

• AODB (Airport Operational Database)
• A-CDM platforms
• Passenger flow systems

By bringing these systems together, Sym3 helps airports move beyond siloed operations and toward a more connected, collaborative ecosystem.

This visibility not only improves decision-making in real time but also supports the broader ambition of interoperability across disparate technologies, a critical requirement as airports scale and modernize.

The Role of Smart Automation

As airports invest in expansion programs, the importance of intelligent automation and reliable baggage handling systems continues to grow.

Future-ready infrastructure depends on solutions that can:

• Scale alongside increasing passenger volumes
• Optimize operational flow and reduce bottlenecks
• Improve system reliability and uptime
• Enhance the overall passenger journey

At Daifuku Airport Netherlands and Daifuku Airport UK, we help airports turn these ambitions into reality with solutions designed for long-term performance, flexibility, and operational excellence.

 A Market Moving Fast

The pace of change across the airport industry is accelerating. While AI adoption continues to evolve step by step, its relevance is already clear across nearly every aspect of airport operations.

For Daifuku, this rapid evolution reinforces the value of delivering solutions that provide:

• Visibility for airport leaders
• Actionable insights from operational data
• Seamless integration across systems

The opportunity is not just to modernize individual processes—but to enable a more connected, intelligent airport ecosystem.

A Key Takeaway

Beyond technology and innovation, one takeaway stood out: The importance of collaboration.

Events like ACI Europe bring together leading airports and technology providers to learn, connect, and align on the future of the industry. These conversations are essential not only for sharing ideas, but for building the partnerships that will shape the next generation of airport operations.

Jasper van Gend, Executive Managing Director, shared:

“What stood out in Prague is how aligned the industry is on the need to scale smarter. It’s not just about growth, it’s about building systems that can adapt, perform, and support airports long into the future.”

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