CAPA Americas Aviation Summit Denver 18/19-Mar-2019

As with previous annual Americas Aviation Summits, CAPA will challenge North American aviation industry leaders to reflect on what is needed to drive the industry forward, looking at innovation in external markets as examples to follow.

The Americas Aviation Summit brings together under one roof an unrivalled gathering of innovators, disruptors and thought leaders to offer high level insights into airline strategy, ULCCs and emerging markets.

Register here: CAPA Americas Aviation Summit 2019

• The impact of new generation aircraft on long haul route economics, enabling new growth opportunities between South East Asia and the US and Lower South America and North America

• Immunised JVs and market access

• Disruption on the North Atlantic; market impact of incursions from new low cost long haul entrants

• The impact of ULCCs on the Canadian airline industry

• Distribution in the digital age and latest NDC developments

Other key issues to be discussed include the impact of long range narrowbodies enabling US ULCCs and LCCs to compete against the majors by bringing the deep south of Latin America within flying range from South Florida.

Latin American LCCs such as Interjet and Volaris are also taking advantage of new technology to go further into the US, but long haul international markets within Latin America also offer promising growth opportunities.

Brexit and the uncertain status of international airline regulation

Day 1 will also focus on the future of open skies against the backdrop of Brexit and the US' seemingly wavering commitment to the principles of a global economy.

Meanwhile Canada remains committed to its (dark) Blue Skies protectionist policy. In the wake of the US big three's recent and continuing onslaught on the Gulf carriers, there is still a lack of clarity over the US position on liberal market access, a question made more poignant by the Trump administration's attacks on free trade generally and the EU and China in particular.

Day 2: Spotlight on trans Pacific travel and the viability of new markets opened up by new generation aircraft

Day 2 will feature a comprehensive panel discussion on new generation aircraft, game changing economics and range for LCCs, and how low cost operators are increasingly using new generation narrowbodies on longer haul routes. 

The 787 and A350 widebodies have dramatically changed operating economics on ultra long haul routes, offering a much more profitable proposition than older generation twin aisle jets. But the right aircraft type is just one factor in successful route development.

Although new generation aircraft open up opportunities for numerous new routes, maintaining consistent demand in those markets is paramount, especially once airport incentives are gone.

ULCCs are also making an impact, forcing the US majors to deploy an array of tactics to keep them at bay, in the form of segmented fare families and product unbundling. Further north, in Canada, ULCC start ups have injected renewed competition into the tightly held Canadian market.

Long haul low cost international operations are becoming a feature of the US-Europe market, introducing a new dynamic into the equation. Until now, the market has been the territory of foreign airlines, but with airlines like the mid-cost/mid-frills JetBlue Airways now about to embark on trans-Atlantic operations, a new era of competition could be in the wind.

Speaker highlights: