Airport Show to take-off with cutting-edge technologies and innovative products

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6 May 2018

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group will inaugurate the Airport Show, the world’s largest annual B2B airport industry event, on 7 May.

When the Airport Show opens on over 15,000 square meters of space across three halls of the iconic Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC), it will have a couple of records to boot: highest number of exhibitors, hosted buyers and participants expected.

For the first time this year, the three days of exhibition and knowledge sharing will also see the launch of the Innovation Awards, with winners selected from a global pool of submissions and industry jury. The 18th edition of the show will host over over 350 exhibitors from 60 countries, with the largest number of dedicated pavilions ever, representing Europe, US and Asia, along with over 7,500 visitors expected to attend. This year’s event is also hosting its largest number of buyers ever, with 190 buyers attending from 34 countries, representing 75 airport, ground handling, police, immigration, customs, air traffic control and aviation authorities.

Remarked His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum: “When it comes to construction projects, airports are at the top of the list. We cannot make compromises to make passenger journeys better through airports. Whether it is the latest scanning technologies, passenger experiences or robot baggage handlers, the region’s airports are investing in the latest technology and concepts to delight customers and stay of the competition. This exiting time in the industry will be reflected at the Airport Show.”

According to the Centre for Aviation (CAPA) data, up to US$1.1 trillion is spent on airport construction globally – this is broken down by US$255 billion being invested in new (Greenfield) airport projects around the world and US$845 billion in projects such as new runways and terminal buildings, runway and terminal extensions.

Daniyal Qureshi, Group Exhibition Director at Reed Exhibitions Middle East which organises the trend-setting trade show, said: “The show has everything related to airports under one roof, with a focus on cutting-edge technology and New-Age innovation and knowledge-sharing as aviation infrastructure becomes totally business-oriented. There are presently 1,953 airports in 176 countries – and their count is increasing as the number of flyers multiplies each year. Airlines are forecast to carry 7.8 billion passengers in 2036 and we want to be sure we are providing the right platform for the industry to discuss the most sustainable and innovative ways to meet this demand.”

Reed Exhibitions has expanded the show’s global appeal by adding exclusive add-on forums like Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF), Women in Aviation (WIA), Air Traffic Control (ATC) Forum and Airport Security Middle East – the last two being this year’s new additions. Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP), Dubai Airports, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and dnata are the Key Supporters for Airport Show, while Dubai Police and Dubai Customs are supporting Airport Security Middle East and ATC Forum is supported by Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans) and GAL ANS, in addition to the 4 Key Supporters.

GALF, organised by CAPA, continues to attract wider industry participation as airports remain on the cutting-edge of business with management’s requiring equally sophisticated skills to meet increasing competition.

The ATC Forum is attempting at promoting safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic. The spiralling air traffic volumes has enlarged the role and responsibilities of ATCs to increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve performance and safety. Over 100,000 flights take off and land every day across the world. In 2017, 36.8 million flights were operated worldwide. The ICAO had projected that the UAE airports will have to handle 1.62 million aircraft movements by 2030.

His Excellency Mohammed Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and CEO of Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans), remarked: “I consider the inclusion of the ATC Forum as part and parcel of the Airport Show as a timely decision. We are aware that ATM plays a pivotal role in making Dubai the world’s most-preferred airport destination. The Middle East air passengers alone are projected to reach the 517 million mark by 2036. IATA expects 7.8 billion passengers to travel in 2036.”

Serco’s Managing Director for Aviation, Pete Mohring, stated thus about being at the Airport Show: “Serco’s contribution to the aviation and travel experience is not what many people are familiar with. The achievement and pride associated with transforming from solely delivering Air Traffic services to delivering the full spectrum of passenger experience from a door-to-door or gate-to-gate perspective is something we thrive on. Serco’s spectrum of services consist of providing Air Traffic Control services and keeping the busy skies safe throughout every phase of flight.”

Another key co-located attraction is Airport Security Middle East. A Gartner study forecasts that the worldwide security spending will total US$96.3 billion this year as organizations are spending more on security as a result of regulations, emerging threats and the evolution to a digital business strategy. Technological advancement and availability of diverse solutions have driven airport security market growth over the past few years. A raft of new technologies like biometrics, robotics, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) are redefining the airport experience and security.

Remarked Major General Pilot Ahmed Bin Thani, Deputy Commander-in-Chief for Ports Affairs, Dubai Police: “Technology plays a key role in enhancing our ability to grow, innovate and sustainably improve the experience of airport travellers. New technologies, smart solutions and new trends have already began to reshape the airport experience. Airports are particularly susceptible to security challenges and risks. Technology is a crucial factor in enhancing the safety of these essential facilities and facilitating the safe travel of travellers.”

Long-time participants like Georges Hannouche, CEO of Bayanat Engineering Group, remains solidly behind the Show since 16 years. He said: “Our international technology partners, at our stand, display their latest innovations in the field of aviation and meet decision-makers from the UAE and the MENA region. It has remained the best platform to learn about the growing airport industry developments that are crucial for the continuous expansion of our business in the Gulf and elsewhere.”

Tom Squier, Managing Director, Smiths Detection Middle East, one of the sponsors for Airport Security Middle East, said: “There has been an increasing demand for digitalization and automation in the aviation industry in general and airports in particular. The Airport Show will have on display ample technological innovations that help enhance security procedures at the airports for secure and safe journeys.”

Surescan, a Silver Sponsor for Airport Show and Airport Security Middle East, will be showcasing their latest technologies at the show. John Percival, President, Surescan Corporation stated: “For airports, the safety and security of passengers as well as the viability for growth rests on the capabilities of many interconnected functions, services and systems. SureScan has developed its screening machines to provide rugged, reliable, high-speed screening efficiency. It is the newest and most technologically advanced machine on the market.”

Abdul Razzak Mikati, Managing Director of DTP, another long-time participant at the show and key supplier to the region’s airport developments, said: “We will be introducing our new ACDM solution which focuses on improving the airport’s overall operational efficiency. DTP tNexus is a scalable SaaS platform for airlines, airports and ground handlers who need to tackle major operational challenges including aircraft turnaround, billing management and ACDM compliance and want to improve predictability and enhance integration among different systems.

A leading technology company, emaratech, which is a Gold Sponsor for GALF, will utilize the show to exhibit it portfolio of innovative technology products. Thani Al Zaffin, Director General and Board Member of emaratech, remarked: “We will display Smart Trolley and Intelligent Baggage Handling System, which offers improved security at lower cost, better flow and increased revenue and efficiency in airports’ commercial areas. The trolley allows passengers to power their personal devices and acts as a real-time way finding device in the airport via an interactive 3D-map.

Also to be held is Women in Aviation (WIA) General Assembly given the fact that the UAE stands out in MENA for the highest number of women in aviation. There are over 5,000 women pilots worldwide and about 558,000 commercial pilots are needed globally by 2034. Estimates from the International Society of Women Airline Pilots (ISA) show that women pilot worldwide account for only three per cent of the total 130,000 pilots in the world.

Sonja Strand, Vice President & General Manager for Honeywell’s Global Airports Business, Gold Sponsors of the Women in Aviation (WIA) General Assembly, said: “As a global leader in aviation and airport solutions, Honeywell believes diversity and inclusion within its teams is crucial to generating superior ideas that can better serve customers and drive growth.”

“As an engineer and business leader in the traditionally male-dominated aviation industry, I believe we now have an outstanding opportunity to inspire the next generation of female engineering talent seeking careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, and it is one that the industry as a whole must capitalize on. Our sponsorship of this event reflects our commitment to doing exactly that, by encouraging women who have a passion for technology and aviation to pursue their interests and experience long, challenging and highly rewarding careers in this important and dynamic industry,” Strand added.