European Aviation Leaders Unite to Tackle Industry Challenges

Thursday, October 12, 2023

ERA’s General Assembly stands as a pivotal event in the association’s schedule. Delegates from the whole European aviation community have gathered this week to take part in it. Today marked the beginning of the event’s conference sessions, including two senior leadership panels that fostered meaningful discussions on the pressing challenges confronting the association’s members.

ERA acknowledges the vital role of industry collaboration in securing the future success and stability of the aviation sector. The first conference session, with the theme “The power of a collaborative approach,” therefore, saw discussions focus on how the entire aviation ecosystem can work in conjunction with key industry players to produce an effective and sustainable air transportation system to fulfill customer demands.

Jesper Rungholm, CEO of DAT Group and moderator of the first conference session, emphasized the importance of collaboration in order to thrive in an industry that is beloved, essential, and occasionally contentious. He says, “Without the airports and manufacturers doing their bit, the airlines will not be able to reach the ambitious goals we all both want and are willing to achieve. But overall, we need the politicians to understand that they are also part of this collaboration and act accordingly.”

The conference session also emphasized the significance of an educational campaign to promote understanding and persuade governments to create a unified policy for swift action toward a sustainable future. In the second conference session, titled ‘The Challenges Ahead Beyond Sustainability,’ discussions delved into various issues affecting the industry. Topics included skill shortages, enhancing regional connectivity, supply chain management, competition, and consolidation.

Panellist Mary Considine, CEO, The Shannon Airport Group, said: “I was delighted to be part of today’s ERA General Assembly conference and to have an opportunity to discuss the power of collaboration with fellow aviation industry stakeholders from across Europe.”

“We are dedicated to investing in comprehensive training programmes and partnerships to equip our workforce with the skills needed to navigate the evolving landscape of aviation.” says Jiri Marek, CEO, Air Serbia.

Distinguished speakers and presenters included Teresa Gonçalves, CEO of Azores Airlines; Mark Anzur, CEO of Air Montenegro; Patrick Edmond, Managing Director of Altair Advisory; Haldane Dodd, Executive Director of ATAG; Christopher Holgate-Romanov, Head of Department – Strategy & Programmes at EASA; Conor McCarthy, Executive Chairman of Emerald Airlines and many more.

The panel examined a variety of issues that the aviation sector is facing in the later portion of the conference session, including skills, training, cybersecurity, competition, consolidation, and supply chain.

In order to ensure the future of the sector, they collectively emphasized the crucial role of national authorities and European regulators in offering enhanced support, especially through incentives tailored to meet the expectations and needs of the next generation of aviators.

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