CAPA Airline Leader Summit

Budapest, Hungary

16-17 Mar 2023

Day 1 – Thursday 16 March 2023

08:00-09:00

1 hour

Registration, Networking & Coffee

09:00-09:05

5 mins

Chairperson’s Welcome

09:05-09:15

10 mins

Host Welcome

Budapest Airport, CEO, Chris Dinsdale

09:15-09:30

15 mins

CAPA Outlook: State of the Industry {Download Presentation}

CAPA - Centre for Aviation, Chief Financial Analyst, Jonathan Wober

09:30-10:30

60 mins

CAPA Think Tank: Aviation leaders the successes and opportunities for the future

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:

Highlight the successes of the industry over the last 12 months.
Look to the future and identify opportunities to overcome key issues faced by the entire aviation ecosystem.
Identify what our high-profile panel of leaders believe are the main takeaways which everyone should walk away from this conference with.
Create a space for our audience to have their input and seek advice from our informed panel.

Moderator: WestJet, Board Member, Alex Cruz

Panel:

Royal Air Maroc, CEO, Abdelhamid Addou

Air France-KLM, CCO, Angus Clarke

Royal Jordanian, Board Chairman & Designate CEO, Samer Majali

10:30-11:00

30 mins

Coffee Break & Networking

11:00-11:45

45 mins

Airlines in Transition: The post COVID period and the changes that matter most

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?

Moderator: KornFerry, Senior Client Partner, Michael Bell

Panel:

Sun Country, President & CFO, Dave Davis

Air Serbia, CEO, Jiri Marek

Lynx, CEO & President, Merren McArthur

Finnair, SVP Strategy & Fleet, Christine Rovelli

11:45-11:55

10 mins

CAPA Explains: An in-depth review of this important industry thought leadership {Download Presentation}

In 2023, CAPA is set to launch a new report programme titled “CAPA Explains”. In this session we hear from its authors on the value of this new series which explores topics such as distribution, sustainability and revenue.

IH Consultancy, Owner, Ian Heywood

MW Travel Consultancy, Principal, Martin Warner

11:55-12:45

50 mins

Sustainability Masterclass: A guideline for activities to help limit industry footprints

Aviation continues its collective efforts to meet its ambitious and highly public environmental goals. Yet, transition to alternatives is only starting to get underway and airlines will remain wedded to fossil fuels for the foreseeable future.

Despite the sector’s grand ambitions and billions of dollars of investment, progress in the transition has been slow. SAFs are costly and scarce, eFuel production is inherently inefficient and hydrogen remains plagued with challenges which mean it is decades off from viability.

Where does the aviation industry turn to make short term strides?
How can the transition support the industry’s environmental credibility?
What are the best strategies to make the public aware of the scale of the problem faced and the steps that the industry is making in its journey to sustainability?

Moderator: Envest Global, Executive Director, David Wills

Panel:

IAG, Group Head of Sustainability, Jonathon Counsell

SAS, Head of Sustainability, Ann-Sofie Hörlin

KLM, VP Strategy, Tom Verbugt

Wizz Air, Chief Corporate & ESG Officer, Yvonne Moynihan

12:45-12:55

10 mins

Innovation Roadshow - FLYR Labs {Download Presenation}

Flyr Labs, Sales Director, Dominic Matthews

12:55-14:00

65 mins

Lunch Break & Networking

14:00-14:20

20 mins

Economic Outlook: The impacts on an industry in recovery {Download Presentation}

High inflation rate.

IATA, Head Economics, Andrew Matters

14:20-15:00

40 mins

China reopens – prospects for the recovery of the world’s largest outbound market

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?

Moderator: JLS Consulting, Director, John Strickland

Panel:

Thai Airways, Advisor to CEO, Otto Gergye

Versilia Group Holdings, Non Executive Chairman, Tony Davis

Air China, VP & GM North America, Zhihang Chi

Air Serbia, GM Commercial & Strategy, Bosko Rupic

15:00-15:30

30 mins

Coffee break & Networking

15:30-16:25

55 mins

Distribution, technology & disruption

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?

Moderator: HRS, CEO HRS Crew & Passenger Solutions, Luca de Angelis

Panel:

SWISS, CCO, Tamur Goudarzi Pour

IBS Software, President and Head of Global Sales and Marketing, Jitendra Sindhwani

Dohop, Chief Strategy Officer, Oana Savu

Skyscanner, VP of Strategic Flights & Industry Partnerships, Hugh Aitken

Thai Airways, Advisor to Chairman & CEO, Otto Gergye

16:25-17:25

60 mins

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.

Moderator: WestJet, Board Member, Alex Cruz

Panel:

SunExpress, CEO, Max Kownatzki

AirBaltic, President & CEO, Martin Gauss

CityJet, CEO, Pat Byrne

Play, CEO, Birgir Jónsson

17:25-17:30

Day 1 Closing Remarks

19:00-22:30

Gala Dinner: Host Eamonn Brennan

SunExpress, CEO, Max Kownatzki

Norse Atlantic Airways, CEO, Bjorn Tore Larsen

CityJet, CEO, Pat Byrne

Lynx, CEO & President, Merren McArthur

Airport Authority Hong Kong, COO, Vivian Cheung

Royal Air Maroc, CEO, Abdelhamid Addou

AirBaltic, President & CEO, Martin Gauss

WestJet, Board Member, Alex Cruz

Wizz, President, Robert Carey

Sun Country, President & CFO, Dave Davis