- The Ancillary Arena pitch competition has opened entries for aviation revenue concepts with a live final on 15 October 2026
- Five shortlisted innovators will present to five senior airline commercial leaders at the Lisbon event
- Entries may focus on airline retail, loyalty innovations, untapped revenue or passenger service improvements
- The winner receives a complimentary 6 sqm exhibition stand at WAF 2027
- The World Aviation Festival has attracted more than 4,500 attendees and 600 speakers across three days
The World Aviation Festival has launched the Ancillary Arena pitch competition to identify aviation’s next major ancillary revenue stream, with entries open until the live final on 15 October 2026 in Lisbon.
Five shortlisted start-ups, entrepreneurs and independent innovators will present their ancillary revenue concepts to a panel of five senior airline commercial leaders at the event from 13 to 15 October. The competition, inspired by television entrepreneurship programmes, has sought entries focusing on airline retail, loyalty innovations, untapped revenue opportunities or improved passenger service approaches. Judges have committed to providing honest feedback and challenging questions before selecting the concept with the strongest real-world commercial potential.
The winner will receive a complimentary 6 sqm exhibition stand at WAF 2027, providing access to more than 4,500 aviation professionals. The live final has been scheduled during lunch at 1.15pm on Thursday 15 October. The World Aviation Festival has brought together more than 4,500 attendees and 600 speakers over three days at FIL in Lisbon, with airline executives responsible for software, services, marketing and distribution attending.
World Aviaton Festival shared: “Margins are tight, costs are rising, and airline executives are looking for new ways to grow revenue. The Ancillary Arena will put five innovators directly in front of the people responsible for finding those opportunities. We want to uncover ideas that could change how airlines do business and help the strongest one take its next step.”
