Together in Tyrol

Welcome to this General Assembly special of Regional International. This year, for the first time in more than three decades, ERA’s premier event heads back to Innsbruck. The capital of Austria’s Tyrol region, this is a truly regional destination set against the backdrop of the picturesque Alps.

The ERA General Assembly is a genuinely unique event. Now in its 37th year, having first taken place back in 1987, it boasts a varied history of distinctive locations hosting a myriad of delegates and member companies. Since its early roots of initially just facilitating an Annual General Meeting (AGM), the event has developed and evolved into a spectacular three-day experience providing member companies with the opportunity to network and enhance new and exciting business relationships and the opportunity to meet with old and new business friends and acquaintances. The one element that has never changed is the gathering of members in one location as one ERA family; reinforcing the association’s ethos that the power of one collective voice, representing multiple businesses, to promote and protect one industry sector, is incredibly strong.

This year’s conference sessions will take on a slightly different format to previous years. I am looking forward to providing an overview of the association’s work and actions taken since our last meeting in Vilamoura during conference session 4; following this the official AGM will commence. I encourage all members attending the General Assembly to join me for this session and to hear about ERA’s journey during the last year and the main work and strategic priorities for the upcoming months.

Industry collaboration

As co-operation forms a key part of membership life, industry collaboration is an essential element that will ensure our industry’s future success and stability. Our opening senior leadership panel during conference session 1 on the afternoon of Wednesday 11 October, will focus on the ‘power of a collaborative approach’ with discussions focussed on how the entire aviation ecosystem can work in partnership with key industry stakeholders to deliver an efficient and sustainable air transportation system to meet consumer demands. Moderated by industry personality Jesper Rungholm, CEO of the DAT Group, I am excited to hear the views and opinions of four of our member representatives: Mark Anzur, CEO, Air Montenegro; Mary Considine, CEO, Shannon Airport; Maarten Koopmans, Managing Director, KLM Cityhopper; and Arjan Meijer, President and CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation.

Looking beyond sustainability

With sustainability having dominated the headlines since the pandemic the second senior leadership panel, conference session 2 on the afternoon of Wednesday 11 October, will look at the other challenges threatening our business. Skills shortages, boosting regional connectivity, competition and consolidation, to name but a few, are some of the headline acts up for examination. Led by ERA Board member Wouter van Wersch, Executive Vice President, President of Region and Sales – Europe, Airbus, this session is sure to provide a valuable insight into the crucial topics up for debate outside of the sustainability arena. Senior leaders providing their thoughts during this session include Ahmed Aly, CEO, TUS Airways; Teresa Gonçalves, CEO, Azores Airlines; Tanja Grobotek, Director European Affairs, CANSO Europe; and Jiří Marek, CEO, Air Serbia.

Let’s be inspired

At every major ERA event our programme includes an inspirational speaker. We are taken on a new journey that allows us to immerse ourselves into a different world, often outside of aviation, whilst learning valuable lessons that can be applied to our everyday lives. This year is no exception. I am delighted that this year’s inspirational speaker is John Volanthen, the exploratory diver who played a leading role in the 2018 Thailand cave rescue. We will be taken on an unforgettable journey deep into the Tham Luang caves of Thailand as Volanthen shares lessons that are key to performing in high-pressure situations and reveals how those principles can be applied by any organisation working toward its goals.

CEO focus

This year’s General Assembly will also include presentations during the Airline and Airport CEOs’ meeting from Raúl Medina, Director General, EUROCONTROL on the strategic plans, main challenges and the agency’s contribution to improve the network performance and support European aviation; Haldane Dodd, Executive Director, ATAG on an update on the current work of the ATAG and its global industry wide plans on reaching net zero by 2050; and Christopher Holgate-Romanov, Head of Department – Strategy and Programmes, EASA providing an overview of the industry from the agency’s perspective. This session will be moderated by Patrick Edmond, Managing Director, Altair Advisory.

Exhibition vibe

The ERA General Assembly also provides a broad and varied agenda with focussed networking sessions provided within our exhibition environment, boosting membership interaction, business development opportunities and membership collaboration. The exhibition space gives a great backdrop for our members’ discussions and includes a constant flow of culinary delights. I encourage all our delegates to spend as much time as possible in the exhibition and to support the many members showcasing their products and services.

Our focus and mission

The association’s policy and regulatory work is a key focus for the ERA team, its aim to drive strategic change and development with key industry stakeholders, governments and legislators. Many of the current key industry issues will be discussed during the General Assembly as the association continues to represent the interests of our members whilst advocating to ensure a fit-for-purpose regulatory environment.

The ERA Board continues to work effectively to focus on strategic subject matters for the association as well as ensuring best practices in governance and the financial stability of the association.The four main pillars of our work, as outlined in our workplan and strategy are: boosting regional connectivity; ensuring competitiveness of European regional aviation; championing environmental and social responsibilities and promoting and co-ordinating air safety, operational efficiency and air traffic management (ATM) modernisation safety and operational efficiency.

Strength in numbers

Our exceptional association, with its diverse and broad range of members is as strong as ever. I am delighted to announced we currently have 222 members including 56 airlines. I would like to personally welcome this year’s newest members (together with a number of returning members) to the association including: Air Serbia, Avation, Cobham Aerospace Communications, ICARE, Besso Insurance, VeeOne, Rockton Vision, Magpie Aviation, XINATIS, AMS Aircraft Services, Avico, Altair Advisory, T-C- Alliance, ATR Maintenance, ICTS Europe Systems, Kiu System Solutions, Regional Airline Support Group, Vanden, MNG Airlines, Barfield, Precision Electronics and GOAL German Operating Aircraft Leasing.

We continue to stand by those suffering as a result of the war in Ukraine and by our Ukrainian airline member Air Urga. #Support Ukraine 

I look forward to meeting and speaking with as many of you as possible during this year’s event in Innsbruck. #WeAreERA #ERAFamily