CAPA 2024 International Aviation Summit starts in Belgrade
21 November 2024
The CAPA Airline Leader Summit World & Awards for Excellence started today in Belgrade, with a ceremonial address by the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić. The Summit, which is organized annually by the renowned expert organization the Center for Aviation (CAPA), with hosts the City of Belgrade and Air Serbia, has brought together more than 250 global leaders from the aviation industry, including Steven Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of the Board of Air Lease Corporation, Martin Gauss, CEO of airBaltic, Con Korfiatis, CEO of Oman Air, Heike Birlenbach, Chief Commercial Officer of Swiss International Airlines, Monserrat Bariga, Director General of ERA, Güliz Öztürk, CEO of Pegasus Airlines, and many others.
During the two-day CAPA Airline Leader Summit World, senior representatives from the most important global and regional airlines, airports, and other participants in the air transport chain for passengers and cargo, tourism, and congress travel will exchange their opinions and views on current trends and key aspects of the aviation industry, as well as the future of the aviation industry. Through dynamic panels and spontaneous discussions, participants will present to the public the latest innovations and revolutionary ideas that have marked 2024 in aviation.
"It is an honour and a pleasure that the City of Belgrade and Air Serbia are hosting the prestigious CAPA Airline Leader Summit World, one of the most important events in the global aviation industry. The arrival of the Summit to the capital of Serbia shows that Belgrade is not only a rapidly growing metropolis that is continuously developing, but also a centre of innovation where ideas and visions about the future of air traffic are created, exchanged, and improved. Air Serbia proudly contributes to this mission. The Summit, which started today, allows aviation industry leaders to explore the potential of our region and contribute to its further growth. I am confident that during the two days of the Summit, certain ideas and initiatives will be born that could have a strong impact on the future of aviation. Welcome to Belgrade!" said Jiří Marek, CEO of Air Serbia.
The first day of the CAPA Summit is an opportunity for the public to learn which business models are currently being chosen by airlines, how they relate to their competition, how their pricing policies are changing in relation to the offer, and how important brand and product differentiation is. Great attention will also be given to digitalization, which has allowed airlines and airports to better understand passengers and their needs, and to adapt to different market segments. Special attention will be paid to modern travellers and the question of whether it really matters to them what they get during their journey, or if they simply prefer to travel at the lowest possible price. The topic of profitability will be one of the central themes, as well as the efforts of airlines to reduce their carbon footprint.
The final part of the first day of the Summit will feature the presentation of awards for excellence to those airlines and airports that have particularly stood out in their operations during 2024 and proven themselves as leaders and innovators. The awards will be presented in the following categories: Airline/Airline Group of the Year, Low-Cost Airline of the Year, Regional Airline of the Year, Airline Turnaround of the Year, Start-up Airline of the Year, Large Airport of the Year, Medium Airport of the Year, Regional Airport of the Year, Airline Executive of the Year, and Innovation of the Year.
The second day of the CAPA 2024 Summit is reserved for discussions on the challenges faced by Eurocontrol in flight control in Europe, the operations of airports after being taken over by airport groups, and the relationships between airlines and airports. The public will also have the opportunity to learn which strategies have proven successful for recruiting and training qualified personnel in the aviation industry.
More detailed information about the CAPA Airline Leader Summit World & Awards for Excellence held in Belgrade can be found at: https://was24.capaevents.com.