Innovation, sustainability and new business models are the focus of this year’s inter airport Europe, the world’s leading trade fair for the global airport industry. Visitors can look forward to a wide range of exhibits and live demonstrations from well-known international suppliers as well as attractive start-ups. Complementing this, the comprehensive accompanying programme of technical seminars and expert summit discussions will provide important impetus for optimising airport operations and promoting strategic partnerships and investments – all for an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable airport. The inter airport Europe team has now announced some of the topic highlights and speakers for October.
From 10 to 13 October 2023, the global airport industry will gather for the 24th edition of inter airport Europe at the Munich exhibition centre. With almost 50 years of experience in the airport sector, the leading international trade fair is regarded as the most important industry meeting place for decision-makers and executives: this is where airport operators, airlines, aviation authorities, airport service providers, investors and aviation experts find out about trend-setting technologies and strategies to tackle the many challenges and opportunities of today’s airport operations.
This year’s show impresses with a comprehensive supporting programme and exciting technical presentations: The popular inter airport Europe seminar programme will provide key insights and practical tips on new technologies and trends in relation to general market developments, creating additional touch points between buyers and technology providers. The inter airport Europe Innovation Awards will also be presented again this year to companies that make a special contribution to the innovative and technical development of airports through outstanding achievements and technologies.
“Following the recent crisis and recovery of the aviation sector, the industry is now in an exciting phase full of opportunities and potential for change and investment,” says Olaf Freier, Portfolio Director Transport at inter airport Europe, on behalf of the show organiser RX. “We are delighted to be able to offer a unique combination of a leading trade fair, technical seminars and a parallel trade summit, promoting innovation, dynamism and sustainability in the global airport industry.”
Opening ceremony and presentation of the Innovation Awards
The Innovation Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of the many inventors and technical pioneers among the inter airport Europe exhibitors. They highlight strategies, technologies and partnerships that contribute significantly to the innovative and technical development of airports. The announcement of the winners and the award ceremony will take place during the opening ceremony on Tuesday, 10 October, from 11:00 to 12:00 on the seminar stage in Hall B5. Speakers will include Nicola Hamann, Managing Director of the trade fair organiser RX, Kay Bärenfänger, President of the GATE Alliance, and Jost Lammers, Managing Director of Munich Airport.
Seminar programme at inter airport Europe: Daily expert lectures on current technology trends
The inter airport Europe seminar programme offers expert lectures on current technologies and solution approaches that are particularly relevant for the future development of airports. The seminars last 15 to 30 minutes and deal with leading terminal technology, digital innovations and new, efficient solutions for apron and taxiway. Key topics this year are: Passenger Experience and Passenger Journey, Baggage Handling Solutions, Security Systems, and Apron and Terminal Management.
Top speakers include Dr. Lutz Weisser from Munich Airport, who will deal with the evaluation and use of passenger data in Europe and the United States in his presentation Impact of innovation on the Passenger Journey. CPHI Holdings will present An Industry First: Business Case for Airports and Ground handlers, new, lucrative concession strategies for baggage handling while reducing costs for ground handlers. Honeywell will give a presentation on Driving Actionable Intelligence for Integrated Ramp Management, showcasing the latest hardware and software for efficient gate management to increase security and capacity and make the most of existing airport resources.
Canard Drones presents Next-Generation Airport Inspections: Harnessing the Potential of Drone-Based Solutions, a comprehensive technology solution that combines drones with a cloud-based platform and app. Midstream Lighting provides an in-depth look at designing, testing and implementing apron lighting in The 7 Lessons Learned in Apron Floodlighting. And Inform explains the benefits of a shared driver pool for baggage and cargo in Cargo & Baggage Transports: Boost efficiency, sustainability and quality.
The technical seminar sessions will take place on all four days of the show on the Seminar Stage in Hall B5, Stand 1580. The full seminar programme can be found on the official show website.
Future strategies within walking distance: inter airport FOCUS – The Sustainability Summit
The two-day sustainability summit will take place on 11 and 12 October in the Conference Centre North right next to the inter airport Europe exhibition halls. Tickets can be purchased online or on-site and are valid for all conference and networking sessions at the summit. Ticket holders also enjoy free access to the inter airport Europe trade fair, including the seminar programme, on all four days of the fair.
inter airport FOCUS – The Sustainability Summit will take place parallel to the trade fair. Designed as a two-day interactive networking and cooperation platform, the key players in the aviation industry will meet here to discuss sustainability solutions for achieving CO₂ emission targets or to launch initiatives for concrete implementation at airports. A high-calibre line-up of leaders from the airport and aviation sectors will present new and exciting strategies to firmly anchor the aspect of sustainability in all areas of airport operations. The focus will be on “Building Infrastructure”, “Airport Operations” and “Intermodal Mobility”.
The summit will be opened via video message by Dr Anna Christmann, German Aerospace Coordinator, followed by Max Hirsh from the Airport City Academy, who will give an inspiring look at financially sustainable strategies for achieving “Net Zero” in his keynote speech.
Another highlight on the agenda is the presentation by Gunter Ehm from Siemens Logistics, who will describe the successful implementation of an automated container unloader at Munich Airport in his case study Automated ULD unloading for sustainable airport operations. The British Aviation Group (BAG) will lead a panel discussion on “What is the aviation timeline to Net-Zero?”, asking how and by when “Net Zero” can realistically be implemented in the aviation sector. Steffen Schmitt from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) will present Local Air Quality Assessment at Copenhagen Airport: Analyzing the Effects of Sustainable Aviation Fuels, a methodology and results of an air quality assessment at Copenhagen Airport conducted as part of the EU-funded ALIGHT project.
Rachel Gardner-Poole, Chair of the UK Zero Emission Flight Delivery Group and member of the UK Jet Zero Council, will talk in her presentation Aviation’s journey to the future about future solutions that are already becoming a reality and can contribute to a more positive public perception of aviation. Matthieu Piron and Sébastien Lichtle from Hydrogen Airport will present Liquid Hydrogen is taking-off: how to make your airport H2 Ready, the first joint venture to promote the development of hydrogen infrastructure at airports. And Shantanu Gangakhedkar, consulting specialist for large-scale aerospace and defence projects at Frost & Sullivan, will lead a high-level panel discussion on Achieving Net Zero: Overcoming Challenges through New Opportunities. And conference partner SMART Airports will host a panel day with four high-profile expert panels: “A Sustainable Reset for Airports”, “The Strategic Environmental, Social and Governance Partnerships that are Driving Change in Airport Ecosystems”, “What Radical Innovations are Needed for Net Zero Terminal Design?”, and “Meet the Experts – Innovations in Sustainable Airport Development”. The complete summit agenda can be found online at inter airport FOCUS.
Also on Thursday, 12 October, the Airport City Academy will offer a one-day intensive course on financially sustainable decarbonisation strategies for airport construction and operation. Emissions “on the ground” can account for up to 30% of an airport’s CO₂ footprint, so reducing them is an essential step towards becoming a climate-friendly airport.
