News

Sir Howard Davies of the Airports Commission to join top speaker line up at Airport Operators Association Conference (21-22 OCT)

EMBARGO: Immediate, 9th October 2013

The Airport Operators Association (AOA), the trade body for UK airports, is pleased to announce that Sir Howard Davies, Chair of the Airports Commission, has agreed to be a keynote speaker at its Annual Conference on 21-22 October, at the London Hilton Metropole Hotel.

Sir Howard will speak on Day 2, Tuesday 22 October, at 10.50am, and joins an impressive range of speakers who are due to address the Conference, including: airline chiefs Willie Walsh, Chief Executive of International Airlines Group, Michael O’Leary, Chief Executive of Ryanair, Craig Kreeger, Chief Executive of Virgin Atlantic, and Jim French, Chairman of Flybe; Sir Charles Montgomery, the new Director General of the UK Border Force, and Andrew Haines, Chief Executive of the Civil Aviation Authority; leading venture capitalist Jon Moulton, and GIP Partner Michael McGhee; and senior representatives from across the airports sector including Paul Kehoe, Chief Executive of Birmingham Airport, David Laws, Chief Executive of Newcastle Airport, and Declan Collier, Chief Executive of London City Airport. Top politicians will also be speaking, with exact names to be confirmed following the recent party reshuffles.

Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the AOA, said: “We are delighted that Sir Howard has agreed to address the Conference to set out his emerging thinking on maintaining the UK’s status as an international hub for aviation, and to answer questions from delegates and journalists. Taken together with our other top rank speakers, including Willie Walsh, Michael O’Leary, Craig Kreeger, Jim French, Paul Kehoe, David Laws and a host of senior representatives from the airports sector, this promises to be one of the most interesting and best attended AOA Conferences yet!”

For further information, or to obtain a press pass, please contact AOA Public Affairs & PR Manager Tim Alderslade on 020 7799 3171 / 07855 337616 or timalderslade@aoa.org.uk.

ENDS

Tickets to the Conference are still available for those who would like to attend. Please email events@aoa.org.uk to book a place. The latest Conference programme, which includes a full list of speakers, is attached (we are aware that Simon Burns MP is no longer Minister of State for Aviation, and a replacement will be announced shortly).

The Airport Operators Association: The AOA is the trade association that represents UK airports. Its mission is to see UK airports grow sustainably. It represents the views of UK airports to Government, Parliament and Regulators to secure policy outcomes that help deliver our mission. The AOA represents some 50+ UK airports and general aviation airfields in the UK. For more information, please visit www.aoa.org.uk.

Tim Alderslade
Public Affairs & PR Manager