Airport Show takes off with bright outlook for sustainable recovery

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The 22nd edition of Airport Show was opened in Dubai on Tuesday amidst brighter outlook for complete and sustainable recovery, growth of passenger demand and focus on future mobility, sustainable infrastructure and innovation.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group inaugurated  the annual Airport Show, the world’s largest airport event, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, which will run from May 9 to 11,  2023.

Sheikh Ahmed said: “The airport industry has come back almost to its full strength and picked up the lost growth momentum in most parts of the world. The construction of new airports and expansion and upgrading of existing facilities has gained pace to ensure airports meet the future demand as well as the needs and expectations of travellers.”

After opening, Sheikh Ahmed toured the exhibitors’ pavilions, during which he was accompanied by a number of senior officials from the aviation sector, where he was briefed on the technologies and devices showcased by more than 150 international companies from 20 countries around the world.

He added: “As the region’s airports look to maintain their status as top global hubs and attract a growing number of travellers, they are investing in the latest of technologies and concepts – biometrics, the Internet of Things, and more recently AI – to deliver an airport experience that exceeds the expectations of their customers, makes aviation sustainable, and keep them ahead of the competition.”

The trade show with the theme, ‘Together in Innovating Future Sustainable Airports,’ is the world’s largest annual airport industry B2B platform. This year more than 100 hosted buyers are expected to clinch substantial deals.

Exhibitors from the US, Italy, France, Germany, Denmark, Turkey, Netherlands, China, Belgium, Korea and Sweden and several other countries including the host, UAE, are showcasing the latest innovative products and technologies to make the aviation industry safe and sustainable, enhance efficiency and passengers experience with the expected increase in passenger numbers and aviation industry growth.

Omar Bin Ghaleb, Deputy Director-General, General Civil Aviation Authority, said: “Efficient and sustainable Air Traffic Management is the key to unlocking the potential of the aviation industry. The industry stakeholders should embrace innovation and collaborate to create exceptional passenger experiences and lead the way towards a brighter future for the airports and the environment.”

Also open are Airport Security Middle East, ATC Forum, the Global Airport Leaders’ Forum and Women in Aviation Conference, where global experts and industry leaders discuss the state of the industry, trends and the future of travel, airport security, technology disruption, passenger experience and sustainability. A key attraction is Sustainable Apron organized in association with dnata. These forums and discussions will greatly contribute to the growth of the industry and provide more opportunities to achieve performance and profitability.

Participating companies, exhibitors and industry stakeholders are bullish about growth prospects and hope to derive benefit from the Airport Show.

May Ismail, Event Manager at RX Global, the Airport Show organizer, said: “This Show is organized with the strong support of the airport industry stakeholders. Key areas of concern and focus include reducing energy consumption, improving operational efficiencies improvising passenger services and airside service levels, which will be discussed by global experts and industry leaders and suggest solutions.”

Jaffar Dawood, Senior Vice President for UAE Airport Operations at dnata, said: “We are proud to support the Airport Show, a prestigious industry event promoting safety, innovation and sustainability that have always been at the heart of our business and operations. We are showcasing our latest initiatives and cutting-edge technologies, offering participants unique opportunities to explore the airport of the future. We look forward to meeting with our partners to share insights and engage in meaningful discussions that propel the aviation industry forward.”

Yahya Al Hammadi, CEO of Abu Dhabi-based Global Air Navigation Services, certified by the GCAA as the only private ANSP in the country, said: “The Airport Show remains a unique platform to showcase its resilience in adopting innovative technologies that accelerate sustainable develop0ments industry-wide. The country has ICAO and GCAA-certified training facilities where extensive Air Traffic Management training gets provided to the stakeholders.”

Thanos Deriziotis, Middle East Aviation Director of EGIS, said: “The event is significant in supporting the airport industry. We are happy to see more of our clients and business partners coming back to attend the event and we look forward to our renewed partnerships and joint activities.  The current focus for Egis is future mobility, particularly in the context of sustainable aviation. Additionally, our strategy and new acquisitions have led to a greater emphasis on design in infrastructure as opposed to project management consulting (PMC) and project management office (PMO) works, both at a global and regional level.”