Your Guide to the ACI EUROPE Annual Congress & General Assembly 2024 by Mark Pilling

We are getting ever closer to the ACI EUROPE Annual Congress & General Assembly, which will be held in captivating Istanbul from 2 – 4 July 2024. In preparation, we hear from Mark Pilling – experienced aviation journalist – on why you should attend, what you can expect and the exciting opportunities that await you.

You’ve been a long-time attendee of the ACI EUROPE Annual Congress & General Assembly. What makes it such a special event for you, and why would you encourage others to attend?

When I think about events that I plan on attending each year, the ones that go in my diary first are those filled with C-suite level leaders. These are the people responsible not only for the overall strategy of the organisation, but for executing it and adapting it: they identify and solve problems. Because of their role, they can give you unparalleled insights and the sharp end of the story. As big picture thinkers, where they gather is where I would want to be: and the ACI EUROPE Annual Congress & General Assembly is one of those places.

ACI EUROPE events are also particularly unique for having a great level of attendance from across their membership: not just a select few, but everyone of note – big and small and in-between – are in attendance. This means you find a real diversity in the voices, debates, and discussions. Not only are the discussions high quality, but they are also very balanced due to this diverse and well-balanced attendance. There is real and genuine space for not only the larger contenders to get their voice across, but for delegates to hear from small and medium sized players who have their own unique but important challenges.

You are moderating the panel ‘Airport Leaders Symposium’, a C-suite level discussion with top voices in the airport industry. What insights or trends are you most looking forward to hearing from these industry leaders? How do you think their perspectives will differ or align?

What makes this panel special is not only the outstanding range of CEOs and C-suite level leaders that will appear, but the quality of the discussion they are able to have. Often we hear these leaders quoted, or being spoken about, but this panel presents a unique opportunity for them to speak in the flesh about their businesses, views, and visions. This offers a level of understanding and insight you rarely find elsewhere. That is what makes this panel a flagship part of the event: and where the real value lies in delegates attending the panel and the event as a whole.

In terms of what insights we will gain, the aviation and airport industry is in a fascinating stage. We have growth constrained by aircraft availability, but demand is soaring back in most locations. How we manage these two conflicting parts is going to be key. It is also important to consider the role that sustainability will play. There are seismic changes coming for airports, and for CEOs to navigate that is going to be complex and tough. There are big questions delegates will certainly want to ask, and in my role as moderator, I hope to gain the views of these leaders and tease out their insights.

I wouldn’t expect to see their perspectives differ greatly, as airports as a whole are committed to sustainability and are facing similar challenges across the board. However, each leader will have their own individual challenges and will be in a different part of their business strategy cycle: seeing how they differ and what lessons can be learned from it is guaranteed to be interesting and insightful.

You are also moderating the panel ‘Geopolitics and Airports – How is the New Reality Impacting the Business and What Lies Ahead?’. Airports are especially vulnerable to geopolitical volatility, with their connectivity, traffic flows and essential infrastructure acutely exposed to rising risks like military conflicts, social unrest, cyber threats, and other security concerns. What key insights or strategies do you hope the panellists will share that can help attendees get a better grasp on the multifaceted risks we are facing?

This panel will no doubt enlighten delegates not only on the crises other airports are facing, but also on how to tackle their own potential crises. The key difference between airlines and airports is that an airline can take their capacity and move it – an airport cannot. If something happens in your area or region that fundamentally affects, or stops, your demand – you can’t simply move. You must go into crisis mode and find a way to see you through to a better time.

Many delegates will attend the panel hoping they simply won’t ever be in a crisis situation, but this panel will help illuminate strategies they can consider if they ever do find themselves in one. It is important to remember that a disaster or catastrophe can strike at any time, such as Iceland’s volcanic eruption or the very recent Dubai flooding, which caused millions of euros of damage. This panel will undoubtedly cover tried and tested strategies that have saved operations, and will perhaps even expose opportunities that can arise from such situations. As a moderator, I will be trying to draw those elements out and find out how these leaders got to grips with their individual situations – and how they intend to come through in the years ahead.

The heart of this panel is the heart of what all airports focus on: safety. Even if delegates aren’t experiencing a geopolitical crisis themselves, the message of safety first and foremost is guaranteed to resonate.

You’ve been in the aviation industry for over 25 years, and have no doubt seen the rise of sustainability as a crucial topic. What innovative strategies or technologies are you hoping to hear about, and how do you think attending the ACI EUROPE Annual Congress & General Assembly can inspire attendees to achieve operational resilience and environmental sustainability?

I wrote my first article on aviation sustainability in 1990, and have seen it grow into perhaps the premier issue for airports since then. If it isn’t already the number one issue, it is likely to be within the next decade.

Whether it is about the right to grow, the licence to grow, or even if growth will be curtailed by the cost of carbon or climate change – airports need to be considering strategies now. Events such as the ACI EUROPE Annual Congress & General Assembly offer a critical place for senior leaders to come together, gather their thoughts and learn from each other on how to tackle these challenges. The decisions and investments we make now will be what decides on our future. Now is the time for action.

You are part of the esteemed judging panel for the ACI EUROPE Best Airport Awards – a space to honour and showcase excellence in airport management. Without letting on too much about the ongoing process, could you share with us what are you looking for when assessing the submissions? Why do you think it’s important for airports to get recognised for their achievements?

My observation is that the ACI awards are very highly regarded and prized by the airports that enter: they are seen as a real achievement. It is clear that airports put a lot of effort into their submissions, and as a judge, I see that and all of the incredible information I’m given.

The winners look different every year, but one thing I am always looking for is an airport that stands out. You never know how that is going to manifest, but as a journalist I am always looking for stories of people who are remarkable – and it is often the airports that can tell their story in the best way that come to the forefront.

One of the major attractions of the ACI EUROPE Annual Congress & General Assembly are the unparalleled networking opportunities. What advice would you give to attendees to maximise their experience?

There are two points I would recommend to delegates. Firstly, be available – the best way to make lasting connections is to talk and engage as much as you can at the event. Be open to people reaching out to you just as much as you reach out to people.

Secondly, do your research in advance: take a look at the programme and figure out the panels and speakers you are most interested in and what is most relevant to you. The ACI EUROPE Annual Congress & General Assembly has many tools you can use to optimise your time, including the event app. While it takes effort and time to do this, it is an easy way to guarantee you’ll leave without any regrets or missed connections.

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With a career spanning over 25 years, Mark Pilling is an experienced aviation journalist. Mark has been the lead editor of many leading aviation titles and covers a range of topics from sustainability to geopolitics. At the ACI EUROPE Annual Congress & General Assembly, he will be moderating two panels: the Airport Leaders Symposium and ‘Geopolitics and Airports – How is the New Reality Impacting the Business and What Lies Ahead?’

Find out more and secure your place at the ACI EUROPE Annual Congress & General Assembly here.