iGA Istanbul Airport Hosts Successful Event in Collaboration with Plug and Play - “Transforming the Future of Sustainable Air Travel”

A powerful partnership in technology and innovation

iGA Istanbul Airport, a global mega hub set at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, proudly hosted an inspiring industry event on the 5th November with the world’s leading innovation platform, Plug and Play - which has access to over 60,000 start-up companies worldwide - titled “Transforming the Future of Sustainable Air Travel”. This event brought together various stakeholders to explore innovative solutions and technological advancements in sustainable air travel, and further cemented iGA’s successful contribution to not only Turkey’s aviation sector, but also to the global aviation industry through its ever-evolving practices and operations.

Showcasing the power of effective collaboration amongst the aviation industry to create a better and more sustainable future for all, the event encouraged mutual cooperation between airports, airlines, and start-ups. Attendees, who included nearly 50 of aviation professionals, joined to discuss common challenges, smart solutions to optimise airport operations, data sharing for project-based collaboration among stakeholders, as well as technologies that enhance passenger experience and improve energy efficiency through sustainability. Key topics that were discussed during the various panel discussions on the day focused on smart airports, data-driven airport experiences, sustainability, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) topics.

Mr Selahattin Bilgen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of iGA Istanbul Airport, began the event with an inspiring speech emphasising the importance of this collaboration and reiterated iGA’s commitment to leading the way in sustainable practices and cutting-edge technologies that will shape the future of aviation. Following this, Mehmet Büyükkaytan, Chief Operations Officer (COO) at iGA Istanbul Airport, delivered a presentation titled "iGA Istanbul Airport Innovation Strategy and Startup Partnerships", and startups involved in projects and POCs (Proof of Concepts) at iGA also shared compelling presentations. As well as this, Lale Can Gözübüyük, Director of Plug and Play Türkiye, and Nik Munaretto, Director of Plug and Play Vienna, shared insight into the initiatives and activities carried out within the Travel and Aviation vertical of the Plug and Play ecosystem.

Other attendees and institutions that participated in the event included IAG – International Airlines Group, Cathay Pacific, London Heathrow Airport, Aeroporti di Roma – Rome Airport, Fraport, Vienna Airport, Turkish Airlines, Turkish Cargo, MNG Airlines, and DHL.

The strategic innovations and ongoing collaborations with start-up companies has been essential to the high-performing operations, advanced air traffic services, optimised network operations and enabling of high-quality aviation infrastructure at iGA Istanbul Airport. Hosting this event alongside Plug and Play allowed iGA and its partners to come together and develop a more resilient, collaborative, sustainable and successful future for future generations.