Sustainability, competitiveness and digitalization in the aviation sector – these key topics were the focus of the latest Think Tank event hosted by Dr. Fried & Partner together with their cooperation partner the Travel Industry Club and their event sponsor Visa. This time, representatives of the industry came together in the modern TecQuartier in Frankfurt to discuss the exciting topic of “Sustainability in the context of competitiveness and digitalization in the aviation sector”.
The heart of the event were the four keynote speeches and subsequent participant discussions, which illuminated the think tank topic from different angles and at the same time provided deep insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the aviation industry:
Olaf Heintze from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) opened the Think Tank with a profound insight into the impact of aviation on the climate. He emphasized the need for a strategic approach to climate-friendly aviation and presented current solutions. The discussion on the evaluation of technologies and roadmapping for aviation technologies in the air transportation system was fascinating.
Jens Schliessmann from the German Travel Management Association (VDR) spoke about the framework conditions for competitiveness from the perspective of business travellers. He emphasized the still important role of the airplane as a means of transport. Reliability is a decisive criterion when choosing a means of transportation. It was interesting to mention an SAP study which showed that 89% of travellers consider sustainability to be important when choosing a means of transport, but only 3% actually choose sustainable products – a clear “pay-say gap” which illustrates the challenges in this area.
Franziska Golenhofen from Visa presented the solutions of Visa Sustainability Solutions, which, by analyzing market changes, showed ways in which sustainable travel can be realized. Exciting possibilities were shown how companies can be made aware of the GHG emissions of various travel routes and support consumers in making sustainable travel decisions.
Jan Pechstein from the Lufthansa Group opened the last part of the event with an overview of corporate emissions management and the current challenges. He presented Lufthansa’s efforts in sustainable aviation, including the introduction of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), defined emission targets and the adaptation to the EU initiative “Fit for 55”. Particularly exciting was the discussion about the relocation of destinations due to regulations and how airlines need to react to this.
Overall, the think tank provided a deep insight into current developments in the field of sustainability in the aviation industry and highlighted the important role that the industry plays in the global sustainability debate.