25 November 2024

Conference "The airports of the future and Europe: challenges and innovation in sustainability"

The event was held in the Sala degli Ulivi of Bari airport, opening a new phase of sustainable development for the Italian airport sector

The conference on Innovation and Sustainability in Airports revealed a focus on quality, decarbonization and growth of air traffic. On 21 November 2024, the conference "Airports of the future and Europe: challenges and innovation in sustainability" was held at the airport's congress centre in Bari, a major event that focused on crucial issues such as improving the quality of airport services, the efficient use of airspace and ground infrastructure, as well as strategies to achieve the ambitious decarbonisation targets outlined in the Fit for 55 Package.

The central themes of the conference

The event represented an important opportunity for discussion, aimed at taking stock of the green transition and digital innovation in European airports. Among the topics covered:

efficiency and quality of services: ensuring increasingly high standards for passengers, while maintaining high levels of safety,
decarbonisation of air transport: the adoption of sustainable strategies to reduce CO₂ emissions in line with the objectives of the Fit for 55,
Growth in air traffic: the need to plan and manage the increase in traffic volumes expected in the coming years.

A summer of growth for Italian air traffic

The data relating to the summer season that has just ended showed a strong increase in the number of passengers, accompanied by a significant growth in flights. Especially:

Italian airports recorded an increase in air traffic higher than the European average, which stands at around 10%.
In the first nine months of 2024, 170 million passengers passed through Italian airports, an increase of 13.29% compared to 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 11.59% compared to 2023.

These numbers testify to the recovery and growth of the sector, but also highlight the urgency of taking measures to manage the increase in demand, ensuring sustainability, quality and safety.

Convegno “Gli aeroporti del futuro e l’Europa: sfide e innovazione nella sostenibilità”. Al centro: Vasile e Troncone Foto: Copyright © Aeroporti di Puglia S.p.A.

Planning and innovating for the future

The conference underlined the importance of strategic analysis and long-term planning to maintain the competitiveness of the European airport sector. Among the priorities highlighted:

technological innovation: the role of new technologies in optimising operational processes and improving the efficiency of airport infrastructures,
work and training: investing in human capital to face the challenges of the future and guarantee a quality service,
Environmental sustainability: integrating environmentally friendly solutions and reducing the environmental impact of air transport.

A look into the future

The event confirmed the need for synergistic cooperation between all players in the sector to address the challenges of sustainability and digitalization. The growth of air traffic and evolving passenger needs require a collective commitment to ensure that the airport sector continues to be a strategic pillar for the European economy, while meeting global climate goals.

The event was attended by authoritative institutional and sector representatives: the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Galeazzo Bignami, the President of ART, Nicola Zaccheo, the President of ENAC, Pierluigi Di Palma, the President of the Puglia Region, Michele Emiliano, the President of ENAV Alessandra Bruni, the CEO of Aeroporti di Roma, Marco Troncone, the president of Aeroporti di Puglia, Antonio Maria Vasile and Francesco Nucera, Director of Development & Maintenance of the Save Group. The final speech was entrusted to the president of Aeroporti 2030, Alfonso Celotto.

Edited by the editorial staff, Avion Tourism Magazine

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