- IATA announces ICAO Council President to open Wings of Change Europe
- Event takes place 15 October in Brussels
- Toshiyuki Onuma headlines confirmed speakers
- Panel debates focus on competitiveness and geopolitical landscape
- Event follows IATA World Sustainability Symposium
The International Air Transport Association has revealed that Toshiyuki Onuma, President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization, will open the Wings of Change Europe on 15 October in Brussels. Onuma headlines a list of confirmed speakers for Europe’s premier aeropolitical conference which aims to shape a regulatory agenda for an efficient and competitive European aviation sector. Thomas Reynaert, IATA’s Senior Vice President External Affairs, stated that having the President of the ICAO Council participate in the WOCE discussions in Brussels is a reminder of how important global standards and approaches are for a competitive and connected Europe.
WOCE’s panel debates and presentations will focus on issues including the challenging geopolitical landscape, competitiveness and the Draghi report two years on, the economic outlook and the value of aviation to Europe, key priorities on the EU horizon and passenger rights, airport legislation and safety issues. The current lineup of speakers includes political and EU regulatory leaders such as Filip Cornelis, Director for Aviation at DG MOVE, European Commission, and Jean-Luc Crucke, Minister of Mobility, Climate and Ecological Transition for Belgium.
Industry CEOs confirmed to speak include Selahattin Bilgen, CEO of Istanbul Grand Airport, Peter Gerber, CEO of Condor, Florian Guillermet, Executive Director of EASA, Samer Majali, Vice Chairman and Board Designee CEO of Royal Jordanian, Pieter van Oord, President and CEO of Royal Schiphol Group and Wouter Roels, President Europe at FedEx. WOCE will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Brussels City Hotel on 15 October following the IATA World Sustainability Symposium on 13 and 14 October.
Thomas Reynaert, IATA’s Senior Vice President External Affairs, shared: “In a world characterized by fragmentation, air transport is a critical example of the value of global standards. Having the President of the ICAO Council participate in the WOCE discussions in Brussels is a reminder of how important global standards and approaches are for a competitive and connected Europe. Europe needs the economic and social benefits of a competitive and sustainable aviation sector more than ever, but the jobs, growth, and prosperity that aviation generates throughout the economy are imperilled by onerous regulation and high costs. Intense competition between airlines is good for passengers, but European airlines are struggling with notoriously thin margins and high oil prices that threaten to limit opportunities for investment in expanding connectivity. WOCE is an opportunity for industry, government, and global institutions to unite and set the course to improve European air transport competitiveness.”
