Closing the EUROCONTROL and ACI EUROPE conference on Digitally Connected Airports today, Eamonn Brennan, Director General of EUROCONTROL, has called for cooperation between all parts of the industry to unlock the capacity that will enable future development of airports.

Speaking to 400 delegates from airports, airlines, air navigation service providers and industry, Eamonn Brennan said “We need to be able to meet future demand through sustainable operations. We need airports to be fully connected with the rest of the European network. To achieve that, we need to integrate them digitally with the EUROCONTROL Network Manager. EUROCONTROL, ACI EUROPE, SESAR JU, along with airports, airlines, ANSPs and manufacturers, are now working together on this challenge to help meet the European Green Deal, whilst enabling airports to expand in the years ahead”.

He announced plans for the parties to collaborate and develop innovative sustainable airport solutions that can be deployed by all airports across Europe by 2023.

The conference, which brought together high-level representatives from all parts of the aviation value chain, heard keynote interventions from a number of high-profile figures from across the aviation industry including Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, Henrik Hololei, Director General of DG MOVE, Grazia Vittadini, CTO of Airbus, Michael O’Leary, CEO Ryanair Holdings, Jost Lammers, President and CEO Munich Airport, Marc Houalla, Executive Director Group ADP & Managing Director Paris CDG Airport, Birgit Otto, Executive Vice President and COO of Schiphol Group, Hemant Mistry, Director Global Airport Infrastructure & Fuel IATA, Jonas Abrahamsson, President and CEO Swedavia, Dalton Philips, CEO Dublin Airport, Fiona Carleton, Director of Expansion Strategy and Future Operations, London Heathrow Airport, Ismail Polat, Chief Planning Officer Istanbul Airport, Andrew Charlton, Managing Director Aviation Advocacy, and Andrew Murphey, Manager Aviation at Transport & Environment.

“With air traffic predicted to grow by around 48% in the coming 20 years, it is crucially important that we harness the potential of digital connectivity to drive performance and change at airports and to enable an integrated European ATM network,” Eamonn Brennan added.