Routes Europe to Open to Record Numbers in Budapest

AsiaNet 52955

MANCHESTER, England, May 9 /PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

Over 1,000 industry decision makers to meet to discuss the future of the

region's air services

Routes Europe, now in its 8th year, will welcome a record number of attendees

when the 2013 event opens in Budapest in four days time.  The event will be

hosted by Budapest Airport, supported by Hungarian Tourism, at the SYMA

Conference Venue, Hungary's newest and most modern, state-of-the-art

multifunctional facility.

Over 275 airline delegates, representing over 115 leading airlines from across

the European region and beyond, will be represented at Routes Europe, which

will take place from 12-14 May.  With a 60% plus growth in airline delegate

numbers since last year's event in Tallinn, Estonia, this makes Routes Europe

2013 the largest European route development event ever.  

The event will see attendance from all of the region's low cost carriers

(Ryanair, easyJet, Norwegian, Wizz Air, Germanwings, Vueling, Volotea and

Transavia) along with the largest number of full service carriers ever to

attend Routes Europe with registrations received from Lufthansa, British

Airways, Iberia, Air France, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, SAS, Czech Airlines and

Alitalia.

From further afield all four of the Middle Eastern major carriers (Etihad,

Emirates, Qatar Airways and Oman Air) will attend the event along with American

Airlines, Air Transat and China Southern.  Many of the airlines in attendance

will include senior delegations such as Wizz Air, Nasair, SkyWork Airlines and

Aer Arann whose CEOs will all be in Budapest for this unrivalled event.  The

event will also include seven Route Exchange Airline Briefings from Lufthansa,

Germanwings, easyJet, HOP!/Air France, Air Nostrum, SkyWork and Darwin

Airline.  These briefings, given by senior network planners, are an opportunity

for attending airports to gain an overview of the carriers, allowing them to

view, first-hand, what information the airline requires from the airports when

making route proposals.  

In addition to the meetings taking place at Routes Europe a panel of leading

industry experts will take part in a number of moderator led discussions during

the Strategy Summit which will open the event on Sunday 12th May.  These

sessions will address issues affecting aviation and route development across

the region including what effect the EU freeze on ETS will likely have on

traffic from the US and China into the EU, Survival of the Fittest -

Consolidation, Mergers & Alliances and The Future Evolution of the LCC Business

Model.  Highlights of the Summit will include a keynote address from Jozsef

Varadi. CEO of Wizz Air and a keynote presentation from Mr Yiorgos

Lakkotrypis, Minister of Commerce, Industry & Tourism for Cyprus entitled

Cyprus - What Happens Next during which, attendees will hear about the

country's future plans.

"The year on year growth of Routes Europe has surpassed even our own

expectations," said David Stroud, Executive Vice President, Routes continuing:  

"We are pleased, once again, to be welcoming record numbers of delegates to the

event and that these delegates are of such a high calibre shows that Routes

Europe is the region's leading network development event where the future of

air service for the region will be shaped for years to come."

Jost Lammers, CEO of Budapest Airport commented:  "Budapest Airport is

delighted to welcome all delegates attending the Routes Europe Conference to

this great city.  This is an extremely good opportunity for us to demonstrate

the massive potential for route development in the market for existing and new

airlines.  My team and I are ready to hold many meetings with delegates and

look forward to celebrating the beauty of our city throughout the conference

whilst giving a fantastic airport experience for your return journey, which we

trust will help convince you to put Budapest and Hungary on your network map."

Gergely Horvath, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Hungarian Tourism Plc.

added:  "To be able to react to the demands of the steadily changing world we

strive to diversify our activities: we look for new opportunities and markets

to be targeted. Therefore, in addition to the Arabic, Russian, and Chinese

markets, where we have already been present, we are mapping the touristic

opportunities in other Eastern developing countries.  In order to stimulate air

traffic towards Hungary, it is necessary to develop the air accessibility of

our country from the new potential emerging markets.  As a joint effort of

Hungarian Tourism Plc. and Budapest Airport Plc., Routes Europe is a great

opportunity to introduce the splendours of Budapest and Hungary to nearly 1,000

airline and airport decision makers and help encourage the opening of new

routes to Hungary."

Notes to Editors

About Routes

- Routes organises world-renowned airline and airport networking events through

its regional and global Route Development Forums. Each year, there is one

global event and one regional event in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and

CIS respectively. http://www.routesonline.com

- Routes was founded in 1995 as part of the Manchester UK-based ASM Ltd., a

consultancy specialising in the field of route development for airports.

http://www.asmｩ\global.com

- Routes and ASM were acquired by UBM Aviation Worldwide Ltd in August 2010.  

From 1st August 2012 Routes, ASM and the Airport Cities Conference and

Exhibition become part of the UBM Live division of UBM plc.

- UBM Live connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five

continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products,

promote their brands and expand their markets.  Through premiere brands such as

MD&M, CPhI, IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show, the Routes

portfolio of events, Airport Cities and many others, UBM Live exhibitions,

conferences, awards programs, publications, websites and training and

certification programs are an integral part of the marketing plans of companies

across more than 20 industry sectors. http://www.ubmlive.com

Follow us on twitter: @Routesonline, @TheHUBRoutes, @VictoriaRoutes, @NLPROU,

@airlineroute

Use the hashtag #RoutesEurope

SOURCE: UBM Live Routes Ltd