16 May - Tuesday, Day 1

08.30

Registration, Networking and Coffee

09.30

Conference Chairperson’s Welcome

09.35

Welcome & Opening Remarks

SESSION 1: VISION & OUTLOOK

09.40

Keynote Address: UAE Aviation Outlook 2025

UAE General Civil Aviation Authority GCAA, Deputy Director General, Omar Bin Ghaleb

10.00

Keynote Address: CAPA Global Airports Outlook 2025

• What are the big aviation trends?

• Will protectionism slow airline growth?

• Where is airport investment focused, where will airport ownership change hands, where is the fleet growth going, and where will traffic flourish? Do they correlate?

• Global aviation markets outlook – what are the implications for primary and secondary hubs

CAPA – Centre for Aviation, Executive Chairman, Peter Harbison [Download Presentation]

10.30

Coffee & Networking

SESSION 2: INVESTING IN NEW AIRPORTS

11.15

Keynote: TAV Group              
TAV Group, CEO & Executive Board Member, Sani Şener [Download Presentation]

11.35

Keynote: Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines, Chief Commercial Officer, Akif Konar [Download Presentation]

Financing airport projects: Will they always be good investments?
The 'privatisation' of airports has been established as an activity for 30 years this year. Bearing in mind that some countries (even developed ones like the USA and Canada) are still uncertain about it, has it proven to be a good thing? Is the way the industry is regulated at odds with the needs of investors and if so how can a successful marriage be ensured? The PPP (3P) transaction is increasingly popular: is it the future, globally? In an age of continuing consolidation and hybridisation of modes, both short and long haul, what is the justification today for investing in low cost terminals, let alone entire airports?
Moderator:  Macquarie Bank, Division Director, Head of Cross Divisional Projects, Corporate & Asset Finance, Peter Farthing
Panel Members:

12.40

Keynote: Dubai Airports Masterplan
Dubai Airports, CEO, Paul Griffiths

13:00

Welcome to Lunch and Special Anniversary Commemoration by Lunch Host

13.10

Lunch Hosted by Shell Aviation

SESSION 3: DISRUPTING THE AIRPORT MODEL

14.10

Keynote: Innovation and Redefining the Airport Role
Pittsburgh International Airport, CEO, Christina Cassotis [Download Presentation]

14.30

Straight-talk: Are they listening? What airlines really want from airports

LCCs, hybrids and full service airlines are meeting customer demand in very different ways. Do the airports that serve them really understand the diverging business models and providing infrastructure and services to maximise the opportunity. And, where the demands conflict, how do airports respond most effectively.

Moderator: CAPA - Centre for Aviation, Executive Chairman, Peter Harbison Panel Members:

15.15

Coffee & Networking

16.00

Retail on board: When will inflight wifi threaten airport sales?

Airport retail continues to expand, as airports become more adept at exposing their retailers. A global market which is worth anywhere from USD30-50 billion is highly attractive. Yet airlines have scarcely scratched the surface of this massive market. Now, as wifi spreads across aircraft where passengers can be 'captive' for 15 hours and more, the potential for tapping into the huge traveller spend suddenly blossoms. Add to that the growing sophistication of data analytics and the potential for selling to specific passenger targets lends an extraordinary dimension.

It does not need to be a zero sum game though; there is a lot of upside. The market for online sales is unlimited, even marketing houses!

• Could onboard wifi actually enhance airport retail sales and allow for even greater penetration
• How do airport retailers currently target and profile passengers?

17.00