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3rd Annual Airport Investment Symposium

GIIA, in partnership with Airports Council International (Europe) yesterday hosted the 3rd Annual Airport Investment Symposium in Brussels. The event brought together airport operators, investors, financial advisors and airlines with representatives from the European Commission and European Investment Bank along with Member States.

With an expected airport investment gap in Europe of €12.3bn over the next five years, combined with figures showing Europe already accounting for more than 50% of the World’s congested airports, it is crucial for Governments and regulators to work with the private sector to unlock new sources of investment.

GIIA Director of Corporate Affairs Jon Phillips said:

“Airports play a critical role across Europe in helping to deliver sustainable economic growth. Investors stand ready to deliver the funding to meet customer, capacity and environmental improvement projects that will enable the aviation sector to meet future challenges - including achieving Net Zero carbon emissions. But policy makers and regulators need to ensure the right framework is in place to facilitate this essential investment." 

Airports Council International Director-General Olivier Jankovec addressed the Symposium stating that the current investment gap threatened the sector’s ability to meet decarbonisation plans and said that the focus of regulators needed to be carefully considered.

“Today’s priorities should be about sustainability, capacity and consumer interest. It is high time regulators start focusing on these, rather than airlines interests,” said Jankovec.