CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

Welcome Coffee and opening of the Exhibition
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Delegate Registration
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Conference Welcome
Speakers
Conference Chairman
Ground Handling International
Editor & Conference Producer
Ground Handling International
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Market Outlook Africa: Short term gain, long-term pain?

Latest IATA passenger data shows a near 10% year-on-year rise in demand for air travel in Africa. The Africa- Asia corridor is the fastest growing in the world with a near 16% expansion. But, with 64% of key African cities served with seven or less weekly flights and some destinations completely unconnected then is Africa trying to run before it can walk? This session will look for the positives, the potential but not shy away from the uncomfortable realities of the continent’s discombobulated route network.

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The GHI Big Debate: How do we smash monopolies and unleash Africa’s true aviation potential?

Africa is three times larger than Europe with almost treble the population. Yet, the volume of air transport movements is 11 times lower than in Europe – why and what can we do to change this anomaly? GHI invites key stakeholders in the African aviation vision to map out the route to breaking down monopolies and the partisan politics that currently mean 22% of intra-African flights having to transit via the Middle East or Europe. Can we persuade 54 nations with countless flagship carriers to play for the team rather than the individual?

Speakers
Executive Manager Operations
GLC
Regional Manager Network Stations, Africa
QATAR AIRWAYS
Vice President Global Operations
SWISSPORT
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Coffee break, Exhibition and One-to-One Meetings
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Content spotlight: Optimising Airline Operations: Why Swissport Set Up Central Load Control (CLC) in Africa

Philipp Müller, Vice President of Global Operations, Ground Handling and Fuelling at Swissport, shares insights into the company’s Central Load Control (CLC) service. He highlights how Swissport’s two CLC centres, located in Morocco and Kenya, support over 60 airlines worldwide by processing more than 170,000 load sheets annually. These centres play a vital role in improving operational efficiency, lowering costs, and maintaining high service quality across Swissport’s global network. Philipp also explains the strategic decision behind establishing these key CLC hubs on the African continent to deliver global load sheet production.

Speaker
Vice President Global Operations
SWISSPORT

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African aviation trailblazers: The airline flying one African flag targeting a single African sky

ASKY is a novel solution to a continent beset by division and partisan air transport policies. The airline flies the flag for all Africa and has a vision to create a strong intra-continental network that bolsters economic development for the many over the few. The airline has posted profit since 2017 and serves 26 countries in Africa. Can this aspirational carrier succeed where Air Afrique failed? This case study will share examples of outsmarting monopolies and explore the ground handling strategy behind an all-African airline.

Speaker
Manager Business Development & Equity Partnership
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES
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Digitising the African station: Smart technology solutions for world-class turnarounds

Digitising the African station: Smart technology solutions for world-class turnarounds share their insight on the most exciting advances and the real-world impact on performance KPIs. What’s the smart way to deploy technology into your ground handling business?

Speakers
CEO & Ground Operations Specialist
TARMAC TECHNOLOGIES
Vice President Global Operations
SWISSPORT
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Lunch, Exhibition and One-to-One Meetings
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Market analysis: Is West Africa the next booming aviation hub?

Several airports across West Africa are competing to establish themselves as key aviation hubs, especially Dakar's Blaise Diagne International Airport and Accra's Kotoka International Airport. Dakar, via Aéroport International Blaise Diagne SA (AIBD), is actively working towards its goal of becoming a major air hub by 2035. GHI invites market insiders to explore the challenges and opportunities.

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Electrification of the African apron: Cost-effective ways to ensure the African GSE fleet is not left behind

GHI invites suppliers and operators to put forward a GSE strategy embracing conversions and refurbishment to achieve sustainable intentions while tackling the economic realities of the ramp. What are the costs and considerations of converting fleets from diesel to hybrid/electric? Does sustainable mean profitable? And how does collaboration around charging and infrastructure determine the success of your blueprint?

Speakers
CEO
Aviaco GSE
Director Sales and Service
TLD
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Coffee break, Exhibition and One-to-One Meetings
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Sustainability: An eco-smart strategy to overcome infrastructure challenges at African airports

Faced with a diffuse political landscape, a lack of standardisation and intense financial pressure – a perfect storm threatens to blow away African aviation’s sustainable aviation ambitions. What can be done to bring greener aviation practice to bear on the tarmac at airports in the face of these brutal realities? GHI asks leading stakeholders to detail affordable, impactful and intelligent examples of innovative products and business practice that can reduce carbon emissions and heighten performance levels on a tight cost-base with constrained energy infrastructure.

Speaker
Airport Operations
KENYA AIRPORTS AUTHORITY
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Delegate Dinner
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Welcome Coffee, Exhibition and One-to-One Meetings
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Conference Welcome to Day Two
Speakers
Editor & Conference Producer
Ground Handling International
Conference Chairman
Ground Handling International
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Ramp Safety: Human factors, tech and AI – what’s the most effective route to a safer African ramp?

Is the only safe apron one where we eliminate humans with our bad habits of speeding, taking shortcuts and tackling tasks beyond our competency? Or is the human factor actually the secret weapon in establishing a high safety culture through proactive, visible and demonstrative leadership? This session will share candid stories of accidents, near misses and the journey to safety awareness as told by the leadership teams at African stations. We’ll also be focusing on exciting new technologies that make a tangible difference on risk in the ever-hazardous environment of a busy ramp.

Speaker
Regional Manager Network Stations, Africa
QATAR AIRWAYS
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Skills shortages: How does Africa develop the leadership talent to deliver on the future vision?

Grand growth visions will go nowhere without a committed and creative band of African aviation business leaders to walk the talk. Tomorrow’s aviation leaders will need to be both intuitive people motivators and digital pioneers who are confident and courageous in disrupting old traditions in their relentless pursuit of high performance. But, how does the industry ensure it is promoting itself to the very best homegrown talent? And how does Africa hold on to its rising stars with international suitors plucking talented aviation professionals overseas in a talent exodus. GHI asks African leaders to formulate a plan.

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African aviation trailblazers: Colossal Africa - a case study in ground handling excellence
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Coffee break, Exhibition and One-to-One Meetings
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Cargo: How Nigeria’s first intra-African landmark air cargo corridor will unlock new market opportunities

With 1.5 billion people, accelerating consumer demand and an expanding African Continental Free Trade Area - Africa’s cargo market is on the cusp of greatness. This session will investigate the exhilarating rise of air cargo on the continent as assess the growth opportunities it creates for airlines, airports and handlers. The panel will also explore pain points such as unprofitable universal flows, political interference and the impact of tariffs on trade lanes with the rest of the world.

Speaker
Lead Advisor, AfCFTA Policy & Market
YARAA.IO
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Cargo: Grasping hold of the great African air cargo opportunity

With 1.5 billion people, accelerating consumer demand and an expanding African Continental Free Trade Area - Africa’s cargo market is on the cusp of greatness. This session will investigate the exhilarating rise of air cargo on the continent as assess the growth opportunities it creates for airlines, airports and handlers. The panel will also explore pain points such as unprofitable universal flows, political interference and the impact of tariffs on trade lanes with the rest of the world.

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Products and innovations spotlight: Boosting KPIs at the African station

GHI shines a light on products and innovations that can help ground handlers on their path to delivering improved on time performance, safer operations and service excellence. What systems, GSE adaptions and collaborations can you deploy at your station in the quest to supercharge business performance?

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Lunch, exhibition and One-to-One Meetings
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Interactive training workshop 1: Risk management and world-class safety basics for ground handlers in Africa

This hands-on workshop seminar will equip you with the skills to develop a risk management process on the ramp that’s ISAGO and ICAO compliant. The session will investigate the essentials of instilling a high safety culture into your operation and explore learnings from real-life incidents. enshrine best practice in standard operating procedures.

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Coffee break, Exhibition and One-to-One Meetings
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Interactive training workshop 2: Building the African aviation leader of tomorrow

Following on from our Future African Leaders panel debate, we will ask attendees to identify some of the key gaps in the African leaders skillset. What challenges are you struggling with at your operation? How do we become proactive on succession planning? What’s the remedy for a handling industry not seen as a ‘glamourous’ career? What works in terms of attracting, training and retaining high flyers?