Expanding sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) across multiple locations will require airports in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East to strengthen supply chains, infrastructure and coordination, industry stakeholders said at the SAF APAC Summit 2026 in Melbourne.
The Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID) joined industry representatives at the summit to discuss the role of airports in improving carbon accounting, preparing SAF infrastructure and bringing different stakeholders together to support wider adoption of the fuel.
Speaking on a panel titled “Sharing a Cleaner Sky: Building a Regional SAF Network”, Ken Lau, head of sustainability at ACI APAC & MID, highlighted the potential for regional SAF networks to connect countries that are progressing at different speeds in adopting the fuel.
He said regional cooperation could allow countries and airports to use their respective strengths to support SAF deployment. While SAF corridors have traditionally focused on major hub airports, smaller regional airports could also play an important role because of their locations and access to resources.
Lau also called for greater coordination of SAF policies across countries and jurisdictions. He said national and regional SAF coalitions and stakeholder task forces could help bring industry participants together, develop common positions and make engagement with governments more efficient.
The discussions also highlighted the experience of major airports in developing SAF infrastructure, while pointing to the potential of smaller regional airports. Airports located close to sources of SAF feedstock or ports could provide useful locations for producing, handling or distributing the fuel across regional markets.
ACI APAC & MID said it would continue working with airport members to support the transition to SAF by promoting more consistent policy approaches and helping airports address differences in infrastructure and readiness between countries.The organisation said a practical and cooperative approach would be needed to build a more resilient and sustainable aviation sector across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East.
