Hosted in Chisinau, Moldova, this prestigious conference brought together key stakeholders, industry leaders, and aviation enthusiasts from around the globe to explore emerging trends, exchange insights, and foster collaboration.

Aviation-Event is an international media and conference platform dedicated to the aviation industry, organizing and hosting leading aviation conferences in close cooperation with partner airlines, airports, and destination management companies across Europe and beyond. Since its inception in 2007, Aviation-Event has attracted aviation industry leaders and political stakeholders to debate and find solutions for the aviation industry’s joint agenda.

Aviation-Event 2024 RMO provided a comprehensive forum for dialogue and engagement on critical issues impacting the region’s aviation sector. From regulatory frameworks to infrastructure development, and from market trends to technological innovations, the event delved into a wide array of topics aimed at driving growth and sustainability in Eastern European aviation.

Esteemed keynote speakers and industry experts shared strategic insights and perspectives on the current state and outlook of Eastern European aviation, offering valuable guidance to stakeholders. Marcel Riwalsky, CEO, Aviation-Event, said: “We are very pleased with the overwhelming response and enthusiastic participation in this year’s Aviation-Event 2024 RMO. The conference served as a facilitator for meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and innovation, furthering our collective efforts with the Chisinau International Airport to shape the future of regional aviation. As the aviation industry continues to evolve and adapt to new challenges and opportunities, Aviation-Event remains committed to fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and advancing the global aviation ecosystem.”

Mircea Pascaluța, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Republic of Moldova, kicked off the conference. saying:

“Moldova is a small country with a very precise aim: integration into the European Union. We cannot talk about the new integration without taking into consideration the deviation sector as it is one of the main notes of transport. The speedy growth of this sector urged to introduce digitalization.

“We are hosting such a big international event due to the importance of Moldova for the region and for international relations. This is a very important and optimistic sign for us and for all our European partners. The Republic of Moldova made significant progress in this sector for the first time. New airlines have come to operate from Chisinau.

“From January 1, 2024, the 9-year-old modernization fee has been eliminated so our market becomes more attractive. The entry of new airlines into our market has led to competitive pricing making air travel more affordable for our citizens. International companies [are] open[ing] new routes, and destinations [are] providing for our business [with] better access to the international markets, but we cannot talk about the development and opportunities by ignoring the challenges.

“The exodus from [the] Ukraine war in 2022 directed millions of people to transit or stay in Moldova. This influenced the passenger flow. In 2023, a significant portion of the traffic at Chisinau international Airport grew 27%; the overall passenger traffic count came from the Ukrainian citizens. The catchment area of our airport extends up to 4 hours driving distance covering not only the Republic of Moldova but also the Southeastern part of Ukraine.

“Speaking about numbers, in 2023 Chisinau International Airport recorded traffic of more than 2.8 million passengers representing a significant increase of 23% compared to the previous year. Additionally, the number of available destinations from Chisinau Airport increased to 46, connecting the Republic of Moldova with more European cities, becoming a hub for east and west Europe.

“Our infrastructure expands our route network and maintain[s] the highest standards on safety and service quality goals who continue to work closely with our new partners and use all the opportunities provided by the integration process

“[The] national sector [saw] 8/10 of our infrastructure expand our route network and maintain the highest standards, safety, and service quality. Thess goals continue to work closely with our European partners and use all the opportunities provided by the integration process.

“The integration of the Republic of Moldova in the European Union represents a crucial step in the modernization and development of various sectors. Benefits are multiple, from increasing connectivity and safety to attractive investments in creating new economic opportunities, it’s a part we must work together [on] with determination and commitment to ensure a better future for our citizens.”

In reply to a question, the Minister also had this to say

The question was, “Are you actually negotiating to have that kind of agreement and what would be your expectations in terms of traffic growth?” to which he responded:

“From 2012, we [have been] working closely with the European Union on [an] Open Sky agreement, and we have implemented more than 70% of the year’s regulation. We continue this work because we have a candidate status; recently we had some very important meetings with our European partners.”

“About our expectation in terms of traffic rules, aviation growth, we had a very intensive period. Before the pandemic, the passenger flow reached 2.8 million passengers. It’s the similar number of the passenger flow that was handled before the pandemic period. For the current year, we estimate 3.1 million, well above 2019; our forecast for the future increase is positive.”

Andy Ricover, Senior Air Transportation Expert, IFC, World Bank Group, gave an interesting presentation on “Attracting a strategic private partner for development and operations of Chisinau International Airport.”

Other issues related to the lack of staff at Chisinau International Airport due to personnel quitting their jobs during the Ukraine war.

An informal talk with Elena Stepanov. Executive Director Antrim and Tourism info Center, revealed that the tourism flow is increasing; their objective is to implement the staycation program. Their guests include people who visit Moldavia for medical reasons, dental surgery in particular.

Luis Felipe de Oliveira, ACI World Director General and CEO, said: “Global passenger traffic is poised to grow, with projections close to 20 billion by 2042, doubling estimates for 2024. To safely and sustainably accommodate this exponential growth requires the collaboration of the entire aviation system, including governments. Together, we must ensure sufficient capacity, maintain safety and security, and achieve net zero aviation emissions goals. The unanimous adoption of the resolutions demonstrates the commitment of the world’s airports to sustainable growth, and we thank ACI members for providing a strong collective response. Collaboration is not only essential, it is the only way forward.”