This panel is all about YOU – the future workforce of aviation and career opportunities. Following the keynote on the skills gap in sustainable aviation, industry experts will break down the key skills you’ll need to shape the future of the industry. You’ll hear firsthand what opportunities are available, the essential skills you should be developing, and what the aviation sector is doing to get ready for a sustainable, low-carbon future. From engineering to regulatory frameworks, the panel will cover the different areas of aviation and how you can play a role in them.
Industry leaders, educators, and policymakers will share their insights on how training programs, apprenticeships, and hands-on experiences are helping to build the next generation of aviation professionals. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to level up, this session will help you understand how you can be part of the exciting transformation ahead!
The transition to hydrogen-powered aviation is not without its challenges. While setbacks such as the delay in Airbus’s flagship ZEROe program and a revised roadmap from the European aviation industry have raised concerns, the need for robust infrastructure is more urgent than ever. Despite uncertain timelines, the focus on hydrogen remains steadfast, with governments and industry leaders recognising the critical role infrastructure plays in enabling its adoption.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s Hydrogen Challenge, along with growing governmental support, underscores the urgent need for airports to implement hydrogen fuel storage, refuelling solutions, and efficient supply chains. As small hydrogen-powered aircraft are expected to be tested in the coming years, airports must plan for the scaling up of hydrogen infrastructure, extending beyond aircraft to include airside and landside vehicles as well. Hydrogen adoption will require significant investments in safety, security, equipment, new supply chain partnerships, land-use changes, and storage facilities.
Airports, fuel suppliers, and aerospace leaders must collaborate to develop scalable, cost-effective hydrogen storage, distribution, and refuelling solutions to support the first wave of commercial hydrogen aircraft. This panel will bring together key stakeholders driving hydrogen infrastructure development to discuss the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. From early-stage hydrogen hubs at airports to long-term investments in pipelines and integrated energy systems, panellists will explore how to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen technologies, align regulatory frameworks, and ensure the aviation sector is ready for large-scale hydrogen operations. With major industry initiatives already underway, this session will offer valuable insights into the next critical steps required to make hydrogen a viable, widespread solution for aviation decarbonisation.
Following the previous panel on the role of modelling in setting sustainability targets, this discussion will shift focus to the complex and expansive landscape of global initiatives driving the aviation sector toward net zero. With numerous task forces, working groups, and multistakeholder collaborations underway, navigating this crowded space has become increasingly challenging.
The session will explore how to consolidate and coordinate these parallel efforts to avoid fragmentation and duplication. For instance, ATAG’s SAF multi-stakeholder mapping illustrates the sheer scale and diversity of current initiatives, highlighting the need for greater alignment. Similarly, there are nine major task forces operating globally — but how can the industry identify which groups should be working together and where synergies can be created?
Panellists will examine successful examples of coordination, such as the UK’s approach to sustainable aviation, and discuss how these models can be adapted at a global level. The conversation will also address how to foster more effective communication between different groups, ensuring that industry and policy efforts are complementary rather than competing. By streamlining collaboration and improving strategic alignment, the session aims to uncover a more cohesive and effective path toward sustainable aviation.
This workshop will break down the latest developments in non-CO₂ emissions regulation, including the European Union’s upcoming Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) framework. The MRV system aims to create a structured approach for tracking non-CO₂ effects, but how will it work in practice? What methodologies and data will be required from airlines, and what impact will this have on operations and compliance?
Beyond reporting, the session will explore practical strategies for reducing non-CO₂ impacts, from optimising flight paths to avoid contrail formation to advancements in cleaner fuels and engine technology. With scientific understanding still evolving, the industry must balance precautionary action with economic feasibility. This workshop will provide a platform for airlines, regulators, and technology experts to discuss the path forward — ensuring that non-CO₂ emissions don’t remain an overlooked challenge in aviation’s journey to net zero.
Building on the panel discussion on sustainable airports for a net zero future, this interactive workshop will take a deeper dive into the practical steps airports can take to drive decarbonisation while balancing economic and
operational realities. ACAS by providing a practical session focused on the three accreditation stages and the next steps airports must take to reach the next level of certification.
While the conversation around alternative fuels continues, advancements in aircraft design and technology are driving significant improvements in fuel efficiency and performance. This panel will explore the latest breakthroughs in next-generation aircraft, from revolutionary wing designs and ultra-efficient engines to lightweight materials and aerodynamic enhancements. Industry leaders and innovators will showcase how cutting-edge hardware developments are reducing fuel consumption, lowering emissions, and shaping the future of commercial and defence aviation. With a focus on continual improvement and the adaptation of legacy fleets, this discussion will highlight how the next generation of aircraft is setting new standards for efficiency and sustainability.
As the aviation industry faces mounting pressure to decarbonise, true transformation lies not only in alternative fuels, but in reimagining the aircraft itself. In this keynote, Paul Touw—entrepreneur, engineer, and CEO of Otto Aviation—will explore how bold thinking and breakthrough design can deliver step-change improvements in efficiency and sustainability. Paul will share how Otto Aviation is pioneering the use of transonic super-laminar technology to drastically reduce drag and fuel consumption, offering a new blueprint for what efficient flight can look like. With a background in building innovative ventures and a passion for disrupting legacy systems, Paul’s perspective offers a powerful challenge to conventional aerospace thinking. This session sets the stage for the panel that follows—shifting the conversation from fuel alternatives to the airframes and engineering advances that will shape the future of flight.
As aviation moves toward net zero, airports are at the forefront of this transformation, rethinking operations, infrastructure, and energy use to reduce emissions and enhance efficiency. This panel will bring together senior leaders from global airports, technology providers, and policymakers to explore the latest innovations driving sustainable airport ecosystems. From electrifying ground support equipment and integrating renewable energy to designing low-carbon terminals and advancing hydrogen and SAF hubs, airports are setting new benchmarks in decarbonisation. The discussion will highlight how sustainable infrastructure investments, improved multimodal connectivity, and collaboration across the industry are shaping the next generation of aviation. Through real-world case studies and forward-thinking strategies, this session will offer valuable insights into the role of airports in delivering a more sustainable future.
Lessons from the most innovative airlines in sustainable aviation, and technologies helping them get there.
Book launch from Shashank Nigam, CEO & Founder, SimpliFlying
