Conference Programme

Conference sponsored by

Join representatives from Lublin and the Lubelskie region for an insider look at one of Eastern Europe's most dynamic destinations. From rich cultural heritage and innovative business opportunities to emerging tourism experiences, Lublin offers inspiration for visitors, investors, and the aviation industry alike. This panel will explore what makes the city and region unique, highlighting growth potential, connectivity, and the reasons why Lublin is becoming a must-visit hub in the heart of Europe.

This panel on Polish aviation will examine the most defining issues of this rapidly evolving market. How will the planned opening of the new CPK airport-set to take over traffic from Warsaw Chopin Airport-shape the future of Polish aviation? What are LOT's expansion plans, and how are smaller carriers positioning themselves?

We will also explore development strategies for regional airports, from major hubs farther from Warsaw, such as Kraków and Gdańsk, to smaller airports closer to the capital, including Lublin and Łódź. The discussion will consider the operational impact of proximity to the Belarusian and Russian borders, compare Poland's aviation landscape with neighbouring markets and competing cross-border airports, and assess how the new airport may influence national infrastructure and tourism growth.

The Mediterranean remains one of the world's most dynamic and competitive tourism regions,  yet its market dynamics are shifting. From emerging destinations in the East to established hubs in the West, airports, airlines, and tourism boards are adapting to evolving traveller behaviour, new long-haul demand, and changing source markets.

This session will explore how Mediterranean destinations are repositioning themselves to capture growth — from renewed transatlantic interest and extended seasons to diversification beyond traditional leisure segments. What are the new opportunities, and how are established destinations evolving their strategies to stay ahead?

Moderated by: Bernie Baldwin

A one-to-one conversation with Robert Ludera, Director of Network Bureau at LOT Polish Airlines, offering a broad look at the airline's priorities, outlook, and approach to navigating an evolving aviation landscape.

This session will explore the challenges and opportunities facing small regional airports as they seek to grow passenger flows and secure their place in Europe's air transport ecosystem. Beyond air traffic figures, we'll look at the broader impact these airports have on regional economies, driving tourism, creating employment, and supporting local business growth. 

Air travel is entering a phase where passengers increasingly expect journeys that are fluid, intuitive, and seamlessly connected. Digital ID and biometrics are becoming the catalysts for this shift, reshaping how people move and how airports operate.

A one-to-one discussion with Karim Makhlouf, Chief Commercial Officer at Royal Jordanian, exploring the airline's commercial direction, its regional and global positioning, and the strategic considerations guiding its network and customer offering.

Annabelle Lepièce will present the recent European Commission's decisions on aid to airports and airlines and the new European exemption decision on services of general economic interest. She will address the status of the revision of the Commission Guidelines on aid to airports and airlines and other relevant State aid framework, such as the General Block Exemption Regulation that allows Member States to grant operating aid and investment aid to airports without prior notification to the European Commission. Finally, she will share practical tips to ensure the legality of public support to airports and to develop new routes or partnerships between airports and airlines.

Since the beginning of Russia's aggression against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the country's airspace has remained closed to civil aviation. This is an unprecedented event in European civil aviation since the end of World War II, as no European country of this size has ever been deprived of air connections for such a long period of time. Until 2022, Ukraine's aviation market was one of the fastest growing in Europe—both the capital's airports in Kyiv (Boryspil and Zhuliany) and regional airports in Lviv, Odessa, Kharkiv, and others recorded high growth in connections and passenger numbers. Currently, part of the aviation infrastructure has been destroyed as a result of the war, but there are also airports that are able to resume operations as soon as it becomes possible. What are the possibilities and prospects for the return of aviation to Ukraine?  What is the current situation? How are Ukrainian airlines operating abroad coping?

Moderated by Bernie Baldwin

A one-to-one conversation with András Szabó, Network Officer at Wizz Air, offering an overview of how the airline approaches growth, market opportunities, and its evolving network strategy.

The discussion will explore how the aviation industry can pursue high-impact, straightforward, and viable action to achieve net-zero. Topics will include: the latest updates on SAF supply chain and scale-up, the practical steps you can take today to achieve your decarbonisation goals, and a broader view beyond SAF to consider other complementary solutions. The session will highlight innovative approaches and real-world examples that can accelerate decarbonisation across airports, airlines, and the wider aviation ecosystem.

London City have pioneered multiple techniques to enhance safety and efficiency at their airport. They've continued this approach by partnering with Airbus in order to use cutting edge airspace design to allow for bigger aircraft to land.

This session will explore how tourism boards and destination marketing organizations collaborate with airports and airlines to boost connectivity and attract visitors. Focus on real partnerships, joint campaigns, route development initiatives, and strategies that turn potential into measurable growth. Highlight successes, lessons learned, and creative approaches that can inspire similar collaborations elsewhere.

Many productive meetings happen at CONNECT, but how did you strategize your airline targets? Did you have the right sort of presentation? How do you have a productive meeting? What happens next? A new route can have an interesting life cycle!

Airports often face challenges turning route opportunities into airline commitments. Traditional incentive-driven negotiations can fall short when they're not supported by solid business cases built on airline economics.

In this session, Airline Factory presents a new approach that aligns airport marketing with how airlines evaluate route profitability. Combining advanced traffic analytics, proprietary aircraft cost modeling, and airline-style profitability assessments, our methodology helps airports build convincing, data-backed route proposals for airlines.

Learn how this approach enables airports to demonstrate true value, speak the airline's language, and strengthen their position in route development discussions.

Join Milanamos and a leading international airport to discover how EVTOL will reinvent short-haul travel — connecting nearby destinations, unlocking new points of interest, and driving the next wave of passenger growth.