Airport Show To Host History’s Most Robust Edition As MEASA Airport Operators Hunt For Innovative Technologies
Airport Show is all set for a smooth take-off for its 23rd edition on May 14 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC)with key stakeholders utilizing the leading annual exhibition dedicated to the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) to explore and embrace new technologies and innovative products to handle the fast rebounding air passengers and cargo traffic.
The participants will also have their focus and attention on products and services designed to transform passenger expectations at airports, ease of flying and enhancement of safety and security. The trademark annual B2B platform will bring to the Middle East’s vibrant aviation market four co-located events – Air Traffic Control Forum, Airport Security Middle East, the Global Airport Leaders’ Forum (GALF) and the Women in Aviation (WIA) Middle East Chapter Conference.
The three-day trade-only exhibition will provide opportunities to explore, experience and source several advanced airport technologies, innovations and solutions along with networking with business leaders and market movers. Organized by RX, the London-based company that hosts over 400 events in 22 countries across 42 industry sectors, the much-look-forward-to business platform will see over 6,000 decision-makers and professionals making their way to the three massive exhibition halls at a time when airports across the world are packed to their capacities.
The ever-surging passenger movement has prompted the Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association whose members operate 1925 airports in 171 countries including the DXB, the world’s top airport for international passengers, to claim that 2024 will be “a milestone for global passenger traffic recovery as it reaches 9.4 billion passengers, surpassing the all-time high 9.2 billion passengers handled in 2019. International passenger traffic is forecasted to grow to 4.4 billion international passengers in 2026. Aircraft movements are forecast to grow to 111.6 million by 2026. Airports worldwide will see 153.8 million aircraft movements by 2041.
More than 150 exhibitors from over 20 countries will participate in the exhibition which will feature four country pavilions and over 120 buyers from more than 35 countries. The trade gathering will host 3,500-plus meetings under its popular Business Connect Programme. Global companies like Smiths Detection, emaratech, Siemens, Honeywell, TLD, Aviramp GSE, ITW GSE, ADB Safegate and Airport Labs are among the exhibitors.
Among the key airport project leaders participating include Air India SATS Airport Services, Airports of Thailand, Angkasa Pura Airports of Indonesia, Armenia International Airports, Singapore’s BOC Aviation, CAAB of Botswana, Egyptian Airports Company (EAC), Erbil International Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Mactan- Cebu International Airport Authority, New Delhi Airport, Ntech Aviation of South Africa, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, and Yerevan Zvartnots International Airport of Armenia.
Innovation Trail, GSE Zone, Innovation Hub and Youth in Aviation will provide in-event networking and knowledge enhancement opportunities. The four co-located events will see 60-plus speakers speaking on diverse topics, including Sustainability at Airports, Passenger Experience, Ground Handling, Airport Security and Air Traffic Management (ATM).
Being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, it is being supported by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Dubai Airports, Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP), Emirates Airline and Group, Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans) and dnata, one of the world’s largest air services providers with services across five continents.
This year’s show is taking off as one of the three biggest airports in the world unveiled its ambitious expansion plans. In a fast-forward mode to handle zooming passenger numbers, the expansion of Dubai International Airport (DXB), the world’s busiest airport for international passengers for 10 consecutive years with 87 million passengers in 2023, will require US$2. 7 billion. That will make it stand out among the Middle East airports that will be handling 1.1 billion passengers by 2040. Sheikh Ahmed asserted that Dubai will undoubtedly become ‘The World’s Airport’ and the city will be an expanded global hub for an impressive number of industries including aviation, tourism, technology and education.
In April-end, Dubai unveiled plans for the construction of the world’s largest airport terminal. The US$35 billion Al Maktoum International Airport is envisaged to have a capacity for 260 million passengers upon completion, five times the size of the current DXB. All operations at DXB will be transferred to the massive facility over the coming years. Once completed, Al Maktoum, which opened in 2010, will be the new home for Emirates Airlines with the airport boasting five parallel runways and 400 aircraft gates.
The participation in the Airport Show will provide excellent opportunities for airport security whose global market size will reach US$26 billion by 2030, according to Spherical Insights & Consulting. The participants will be updating their knowledge about technologies that facilitate smooth passenger screening facilitation, checkpoints, and baggage surveillance. Airports have been focusing on acquiring technology and innovative systems that keep glitches and shortcomings at a distance. Their search will also be ways for handling cybercrimes and explosive devices, filling up the gaps and improving the systems and procedures.
May Ismail, Event Manager at RX, said: “Along with concentrating on the picked-up pace of passenger and cargo business, the airport industry is focused on massive expansions and phenomenal improvements to be at the cutting edge of the game in the coming decades. Their search for everything they want stops at the Airport Show. This year, we will have 20+ first-time exhibitors. We will be hosting for the first time an IATA-led workshop as a by-invitation event.
Organizers have appropriately chosen this edition’s theme – Sustainability and Innovation – as the industry players ‘focus has shifted to embracing cutting-edge technology and greener initiatives to drive growth and efficiency while grappling with the complexities of rising passenger volumes, changing governmental regulations changing assessment of potential risks. This is much needed as global consultancy Oliver Wyman predicted more than 19 billion passengers will pass through world airports each year by 2040, and the global commercial aircraft fleet be over 36,000 aircraft seven years earlier. It had been predicted that processes within airports will be fully autonomous by 2050 along with zero-queue terminals.
Several companies have expressed their views about their association with the Airport Show.
Jaffar Dawood, Senior Vice President, Airport Operations UAE and MEA, dnata, said: “We’re pleased to showcase our offering at the Dubai Airport Show during a time of remarkable growth throughout the region. Our advanced equipment on display demonstrates our commitment to continually investing in our operations to enhance efficiency, safety and sustainability. We look forward to meeting with our partners and fostering connections at this prestigious industry event.”
Tarik Özeler, Export Sales Manager at BMC said: “As the sole manufacturer of Apron Buses in Turkey, we are actively enhancing our product range with various alternative fuel solutions and are in talks with leading ground handling service companies across Turkey, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa to expand our offerings. To boost production and enhance the Apron Bus range, we are engaging with leading engineering firms in Europe and manufacturers in the Far East for joint venture collaborations.”
Tamer Samy, Sales Director for Middle East at ADB SAFEGATE said: “Technology and innovation have played crucial roles in transforming airports across the Middle East and South Asia into smart hubs. These advancements have streamlined operations, enhanced passenger experiences, and improved overall efficiency. Our company is a pioneer in driving airports towards smarter functionalities with comprehensive solutions including airfield lighting, power systems, airport, and tower software, docking automation, apron management systems, and aftermarket services. Our Airside 4.0 solutions not only enhance operational efficiency and safety standards but also elevate the passenger experience. The Airport Show is a pivotal platform for us to showcase our latest products and connect with industry leaders, airport operators, and stakeholders.”
Bruce Bowman, Strategic Advisor & Project Director at Cairn Consulting, theAviation Consultancy Partner, said: “A primary challenge for airports is the strict regulatory and infrastructural environments that often delay the adoption of new technologies, preventing them from aligning with the rapid innovations seen in domestic digital commerce. At Cairn Consulting, we are committed to navigating these challenges, advocating for regulatory reforms while pioneering flexible digital solutions that enhance both efficiency and the consumer journey, ultimately aligning airport experiences more closely with cutting-edge consumer market trends. We are exploring futuristic applications of AR, VR and Large Language Models (LLM) to enhance passenger interaction with airport services, foreseeing a future where these technologies make airport stays more enjoyable and interactive, thus redefining what airports can offer beyond the traditional. As airports refresh, renew, or build new infrastructure, incorporating these technologies from the ground up, will be crucial to creating spaces that are truly futuristic and responsive to the next generation of traveler needs.”
