The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that Toshiyuki Onuma, President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), will open the Wings of Change Europe (WOCE), on October 15, in Brussels, Belgium, the heart of European policymaking.
Onuma headlines a strong list of confirmed speakers for Europe’s premier aeropolitical conference, which aims to shape a regulatory agenda for an efficient and competitive European aviation sector.
Speaking on the event, Thomas Reynaert, IATA’s Senior Vice President External Affairs, said: ‘In a world characterised by fragmentation, air transport is a critical example of the value of global standards. Having the president of the ICAO Council participate in the WOCE discussions in Brussels is a reminder of how important global standards and approaches are for a competitive and connected Europe.
‘Europe needs the economic and social benefits of a competitive and sustainable aviation sector more than ever, but the jobs, growth, and prosperity that aviation generates throughout the economy are challenged by onerous regulation and high costs. Intense competition between airlines is good for passengers, but European airlines are struggling with notoriously thin margins and high oil prices that threaten to limit opportunities for investment in expanding connectivity.
‘WOCE is an opportunity for industry, government, and global institutions to unite and set the course to improve European air transport competitiveness,’ Reynaert added.