CAPA Airline Leader Summit

Swiss International Airlines, Chief Commercial Officer, Tamur Goudarzi Pour, spoke to CAPA TV at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit 2023 in Budapest, Hungary in Mar-2023 about latest industry trends and company developments. 

CAPA Events are hosted in key markets around the world and attract the highest calibre of thought leaders and decision makers in the aviation and travel industry. Delegates are provided with unprecedented access to the latest data, insights and trends from our global team, in addition to valuable networking opportunities with executives across all sectors of the aviation and travel industry. Review CAPA’s full events calendar here.   

The CAPA Airline Leader Summit brings together some of the biggest names in aviation to delve into the challenges facing the industry in 2023. In the first of two CAPA Think Tanks, we have asked our guests to come prepared with their three issues the industry needs to overcome in order to thrive in a new year and beyond. 

In this session, our leaders will each present their issues and welcome thoughts and ideas from the remaining panel, as well as the views of the live audience. In a CAPA first, this high-profile panel will leave no stone unturned.

Purpose of the Think Tank:

1. Highlight the successes of the industry over the last 12 months.

2. Look to the future and identify opportunities to overcome key issues faced by the entire aviation ecosystem.

3. Identify what our high-profile panel of leaders believe are the main takeaways which everyone should walk away from this conference with.

4. Create a space for our audience to have their input and seek advice from our informed panel. 

China was the world’s most valuable outbound tourism market in 2019, but its ‘zero COVID’ approach meant the market was almost totally closed off to international travel from early 2020 to late 2022. With China’s COVID-19 policies restricting international travel being jettisoned as of early 2023, the prospects for the new year are vastly more positive. After three years of isolation, what are the prospects for the return of major international travel to/from China? How quickly can China’s domestic airlines and foreign carriers restore their networks and return capacity in the market? Will the country see a repeat of the outbound travel boom seen elsewhere over the past few years? Will China’s air transport sector heed the lessons from operational disruptions experienced in other markets? With foreign governments concerned about potential COVID-19 transmissions, what impact will curbs on travel from China have on the international travel recovery? What other markets may fill the gap left by slow growth?

There is no denying the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way airlines and airports operate around the world. In this session, we explore the significant operational changes which are evolving the industry. COVID-19 taught airlines and the rest of the travel industry many lessons. Flexibility of response, speed in adapting to rapidly changing situations, strong internal and external communication and embracing new ways of doing business all emerged as key differentiators for airlines. Yet, the operational chaos on both sides of the Atlantic showed that there are still more lessons to be learned. How has COVID-19 changed operations for airlines, airports and travel suppliers? What are the lessons that airlines have drawn from the pandemic and global crisis? What are the lessons that need to be written off as a one time event? How have passenger outlooks changed? Is the traveller demanding something different through their journey?

CAPA – Centre for Aviation, the world’s leading source of aviation market intelligence and a part of the Aviation Week Network, has announced the launch of its new series of informational and educational papers, the “CAPA Explains” series. This series of papers aims to help audiences understand the travel distribution ecosystem in its entirety, highlighting different perspectives and explaining the implications of changes and shifts in dynamics for all constituents involved in the ecosystem, from travel principals and system intermediaries to participants in distribution and the end-use traveller. The “CAPA Explains” series offers an independent and comprehensive insight into the ongoing major changes taking place in the way the aviation industry buys, sells, and distributes its content. The series is presented in a simple, clear, and concise manner, making it easy for audiences to understand the complex and ever-evolving travel distribution ecosystem. Editions during 2023 will cover the following topics: 1. Money Flows in the Aviation Industry 2. Travel Demand and Supply in a Rapidly Changing World 3. Changes in Travel Distribution During & Post Pandemic 4. Airline Direct vs Indirect Distribution Share Shift

COVID-19 accelerated changes in the way travellers research, plan, book and pay for their trips, as well as resetting expectations about the travel process. The uncertainty of the past few years has resulted in travellers putting a premium on flexibility and risk minimization, reduced booking windows, increased levels of self-directed & online sales, accelerated the transition to mobile and created a new preference for always available support through the travel process.

Technology is at the heart of these disruptive changes – supporting travellers in new ways and enabling suppliers to adapt to the new preferences of their customers. This disruption also forces the rest of the travel chain to adapt to how they do business, from advertising and booking all the way through to customer support and feedback.

• What are the key technologies that need to be incorporated to meet these new challenges?

• How is the interaction between segments of the travel chain changing due to these changes?

• What are the current technology opportunities that need more investment to bring them to fruition?

• How do travel companies get ahead of the game? Is it better to use existing platforms or to develop bespoke solutions?

• Where are travel companies falling behind, and what can they do to keep up with the pace of change?

Jim Callaghan and Natasa Kazmer are true industry veterans. Jim is the former General Counsel of Ryanair and Etihad Airways and Natasa started her career in the Hungarian flag carrier, Malev, and went on to co-found Wizz Air. They are all too familiar with the tendency to put our careers before our health, and the resulting longer term damage. In this brief presentation, they will demonstrate that not only is this unnecessary, but in fact, health is within all of our grasp and can be a super power for leading our teams and companies to greater success.

COVID-19 presented an unparalleled growth opportunity for low cost carriers. Many of the markets where LCCs excel - such as short haul and leisure focused travel – were the first to recover, while traditionally strong markets for network airlines - including long haul intercontinental and business travel – are still yet to recover fully. As a result, LCC traffic has nearly fully recovered, while full service airline traffic is still down by around 20%. In Europe for example, LCCs now control 40% of seat capacity through Europe, including half of all seats operated within the region. Ryanair is now Europe’s largest single airline brand by most metrics – seats, ASKs or departures – and LCCs are now four of the 10 largest single airline brands within the EU. With recession in the EU looming, traveller preference for short haul persisting and lingering concerns around COVID-19, can LCCs continue to gather market share?

Greg Worch, CellPoint Digital's Global Head of Revenue, is responsible for the company's sales and commercial partnership strategy and execution, leading a team based in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North and South America. He has more than 30 years of experience in payment processing, including senior executive roles with industry leaders including Chase Paymentech, Fiserv, Global Payments and Discover Card. Greg has also worked with early-stage financial technology firms, including roles as Chief Marketing Officer of DST/Identrus, a federated identity scheme, and CEO of JSA Technologies, focused on payments for campus environments. Prior to joining CellPoint Digital, Greg was the Senior Vice President of Business Development for Worldpay's eCommerce business. He holds a BS in Marketing from Wright State University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

Out with the old, in with the new? Has there been a structural change in the way corporations approach, approve and value business travel? Do we expect business travel to ever come back to “normal” or has a new equilibrium been reached because of COVID-19? There’s no doubt that business travel has undergone a partial recovery, and the prospects for 2023 are better: businesses globally are planning for more travel, greater spending on business trips and expect they will slow ease some COVID-19 limitations on business travel. Yet, the pandemic has produced fundamental changes to the way that corporations operate and how people work. With technology a viable alternative to traditional meetings, sustainability changing attitudes to air travel and businesses ever conscious of the cost of travel, it’s also apparent that the business travel market has emerged from the pandemic, massively altered. Will business travel ever fully recover, or has COVID-19 produced a new equilibrium? Are businesses still willing to pay for business travel? What is the cost of NOT travelling for businesses? Is there a differentiation between business travel segments based on length of journey? Are air travel alternatives (particularly rail in Europe) now competitive enough in terms of time, product, cost and sustainability credentials to present a new threat to travel by air?

CAPA Think Tank: Validating the successes and opportunities for the future In the second of two CAPA Think Tanks, we review the opportunities discussed throughout the first day of the CAPA Airline Leader Summit with our industry leader guests. In this session, our leaders will validate the thoughts and suggestions provided in the first Think Tank, and through the rest of the panel discussions during the day, while presenting their own key issues facing the industry today. Purpose of the Think Tank: Validate previously highlighted opportunities faced by the entire aviation ecosystem. Discuss with our high-profile panel of leaders what they believe are the main issues facing the industry and what opportunities and actions can be applied by everyone. Invite the audience to share their concerns and seek advice from our informed panel. Highlight the successes of the industry over the last 12 months.

Air Serbia CEO, Jiri Marek, spoke to CAPA TV at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit 2023 in Budapest, Hungary in Mar-2023 about latest industry trends and company developments. 

CAPA Events are hosted in key markets around the world and attract the highest calibre of thought leaders and decision makers in the aviation and travel industry. Delegates are provided with unprecedented access to the latest data, insights and trends from our global team, in addition to valuable networking opportunities with executives across all sectors of the aviation and travel industry. Review CAPA’s full events calendar here.   

airBaltic President & CEO, Martin Gauss, spoke to CAPA TV at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit 2023 in Budapest, Hungary in Mar-2023 about latest industry trends and company developments. 

CAPA Events are hosted in key markets around the world and attract the highest calibre of thought leaders and decision makers in the aviation and travel industry. Delegates are provided with unprecedented access to the latest data, insights and trends from our global team, in addition to valuable networking opportunities with executives across all sectors of the aviation and travel industry. Review CAPA’s full events calendar here.   

Lynx Air CEO & President, Merren McArthur, spoke to CAPA TV at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit 2023 in Budapest, Hungary in Mar-2023 about latest industry trends and company developments. 

CAPA Events are hosted in key markets around the world and attract the highest calibre of thought leaders and decision makers in the aviation and travel industry. Delegates are provided with unprecedented access to the latest data, insights and trends from our global team, in addition to valuable networking opportunities with executives across all sectors of the aviation and travel industry. Review CAPA’s full events calendar here.   

Wizz Air President, Robert Carey, spoke to CAPA TV at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit 2023 in Budapest, Hungary in Mar-2023 about latest industry trends and company developments. 

CAPA Events are hosted in key markets around the world and attract the highest calibre of thought leaders and decision makers in the aviation and travel industry. Delegates are provided with unprecedented access to the latest data, insights and trends from our global team, in addition to valuable networking opportunities with executives across all sectors of the aviation and travel industry. Review CAPA’s full events calendar here.   

WestJet Board Member, Alex Cruz, spoke to CAPA TV at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit 2023 in Budapest, Hungary in Mar-2023 about latest industry trends and company developments. 

CAPA Events are hosted in key markets around the world and attract the highest calibre of thought leaders and decision makers in the aviation and travel industry. Delegates are provided with unprecedented access to the latest data, insights and trends from our global team, in addition to valuable networking opportunities with executives across all sectors of the aviation and travel industry. Review CAPA’s full events calendar here.   

Budapest Airport Chief Commercial Officer, Kam Jandu, spoke to CAPA TV at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit 2023 in Budapest, Hungary in Mar-2023 about latest industry trends and company developments. 

CAPA Events are hosted in key markets around the world and attract the highest calibre of thought leaders and decision makers in the aviation and travel industry. Delegates are provided with unprecedented access to the latest data, insights and trends from our global team, in addition to valuable networking opportunities with executives across all sectors of the aviation and travel industry. Review CAPA’s full events calendar here.   

HRS CEO, HRS Crew & Passenger Solutions, Luca De Angelis, spoke to CAPA TV at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit 2023 in Budapest, Hungary in Mar-2023 about latest industry trends and company developments. 

CAPA Events are hosted in key markets around the world and attract the highest calibre of thought leaders and decision makers in the aviation and travel industry. Delegates are provided with unprecedented access to the latest data, insights and trends from our global team, in addition to valuable networking opportunities with executives across all sectors of the aviation and travel industry. Review CAPA’s full events calendar here.   

Thai Airways, Advisor To The CEO, Otto Gergye, spoke to CAPA TV at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit 2023 in Budapest, Hungary in Mar-2023 about latest industry trends and company developments. 

CAPA Events are hosted in key markets around the world and attract the highest calibre of thought leaders and decision makers in the aviation and travel industry. Delegates are provided with unprecedented access to the latest data, insights and trends from our global team, in addition to valuable networking opportunities with executives across all sectors of the aviation and travel industry. Review CAPA’s full events calendar here.   

Lufthansa Group, SVP, Channel Management, Tamur Goudarzi Pour, spoke to CAPA TV at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit 2023 in Budapest, Hungary in Mar-2023 about latest industry trends and company developments. 

CAPA Events are hosted in key markets around the world and attract the highest calibre of thought leaders and decision makers in the aviation and travel industry. Delegates are provided with unprecedented access to the latest data, insights and trends from our global team, in addition to valuable networking opportunities with executives across all sectors of the aviation and travel industry. Review CAPA’s full events calendar here.