DUBAI, UAE – Some of the greatest minds in the aviation industry took to the stage at this year’s Global Aviation Conference in Dubai, UAE.
The two-day event hosted by KPMG Lower Gulf was held on September 19-20, 2022, was attended by UAE Minister of Economy and Chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri.
The speakers included senior executives from Etihad, Dnata and flydubai, as well as KPMG leaders.
The conference theme was “Connecting Insights for the Future of Air Travel”.
Nader Haffar, Chairman of Middle East and South Asia, Chairman and CEO of KPMG Lower Gulf, said, “The UAE’s flagship carriers Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, and Air Arabia, and world-class airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have established their dominance on a global scale.”
He said, “Aviation is a vital sector for the UAE economy and is taking off again amidst economic recovery and increased consumer confidence. The Global Aviation Conference has provided a platform for industry experts and leaders to share their valuable perspectives, learning, challenges and ideas.”
Driven by strong pent-up demand, eased travel restrictions, and growing employment rates, passenger numbers are expected to exceed 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels this year, according to a forecast by International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Cargo volumes are expected to reach a record high of 68.4 million tonnes in 2022.
In the Middle East, this year’s re-opening of long-haul flights in particular will provide a welcome boost.
Speakers at this year’s Global Aviation Conference focused on priorities such as profitability, changing economics, fuel costs, disruption, digitalization, data privacy and cybersecurity, decarbonization and sustainability.
KPMG partners and directors from around the world, aviation clients and industry experts were in attendance.
The Global Aviation Conference is an annual event that shapes KPMG’s strategies to support its clients in the aviation sector, previously held in Chicago and London.
It features thought leadership, networking and in-depth insights on issues and trends impacting aviation today.
“The Global Aviation Conference could not have a better venue than Dubai, a destination which epitomizes resilience and has helped accelerate the recovery of aviation from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai.
“This past year underscored the importance of airlines in building connectivity for economic development and enhancing direct airlinks to Dubai’s aviation hub,” he said.
“flydubai continued to create free flows of trade and tourism, even though one of the most challenging times in the aviation history. Since 2021, we have taken delivery of 22 new aircraft, begun operations to more than 45 destinations and grown our workforce by 25 percent,” he added.
” We are well placed to continue with our growth trajectory over the next few years supported by an additional 150 new aircraft scheduled for delivery by 2029,” said Ghaith Al Ghaith.