10/06/2020

Cincinnati, Oh. (October 6, 2020) – Cincinnati will host top aviation executives for one of the industry’s most prestigious events, the 25th Annual Boyd Group International Aviation Forecast Summit (IAFS), October 11-13, 2020. Representatives from airports, airlines, financial institutions, manufacturers, suppliers, and mass media, will gather to discuss emerging changes and forecasting that will affect all areas of aviation at a hybrid virtual and in-person event hosted at the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati.

With the global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever for aviation leaders to come together to chart the path to the future. The IAFS will deliver insight, information, data, and perspectives from the decision makers of the industry. The impressive group of speakers include:

Airlines

• Airlines Confidential, Seth Kaplan & Ben Baldanza, Co-Hosts
• Allegiant, Gregory Anderson, EVP, CFO & Principal Accounting Officer
• American Airlines, Alison Taylor, Chief Customer Officer 
• Atlas Air, John Dietrich, President & CEO Virtual
• Delta Air Lines, Joe Esposito, Senior Vice President of Network Planning
• DHL, Cain Moodie, SVP America's Network Operations & Aviation
• Frontier Airlines, Daniel Shurz, SVP Commercial
• Japan Airlines, Akira Mitsumasu, VP of Global Marketing
• Spirit Airlines, Ted Christie, President & CEO
• Southwest Airlines, Andrew Watterson, EVP & CCO
• Sun Country Airlines, Jude Bricker, President & CEO
• United Airlines, Patrick Quayle, VP Intl Network & Alliances
• United Airlines, Ankit Gupta, VP Network Planning & Scheduling
• Volaris, Holger Blankenstein, EVP Airline & Commercial Operations

Airport/Aircraft Manufacturers

• Airbus, Matthew Saks, Vice President Marketing
• Boeing, Darren Hulst, VP Commercial Marketing
• Boom Supersonic, Blake Scholl, CEO & Founder
• Bye Aerospace, George Bye, CEO & Founder Virtual
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Candace McGraw, CEO
• Embraer, Daniel Galhardo Gomes, Strategy Director Virtual
• GE Aviation, Kim Schleiff, Chief Marketing Officer
• Rolls Royce, Jamie Sismey, Marketing Executive - Americas

Industry Organizations

• ACI North America, Kevin Burke, President & CEOVirtual
• ACI World Luis Felipe de Oliveira, Director General Virtual
• Airlines for America, John Heimlich, VP & Chief Economist
• IATA, Peter Cerda, Regional Vice President, The Americas

Boyd Group International, a leading aviation research, forecast and consulting firm, is bringing the conference to Cincinnati for the first time in its 25-year history. The event is co-hosted by the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).

“We are entering a new phase of global trade and it is regions such as Cincinnati USA that are in line for a much wider role,” stated Michael Boyd, president of Boyd Group International. “The location, the 21st century business base, and the presence of a world-class airport will result in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky emerging as one of America’s most important global trade centers. This makes it a perfect venue for the International Aviation Forecast Summit, drawing industry leaders from across the world.”

“Our hospitality community and Boyd Group International have gone above and beyond to ensure that the attendees and tourism industry employees have a safe and healthy experience. The event will strictly adhere to state and CDC coronavirus prevention guidelines,” said Julie Calvert, president and CEO, Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We are thrilled to welcome this group and optimistic that this event will signal a safe and responsible return to meetings, events and conventions in our region very soon.”

"Airports and the overall aviation industry are vital to economic recovery and, as such, it is a privilege to co-host this hybrid event in a safe and healthy manner," said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer at CVG Airport. "I look forward to discussing the opportunities and challenges currently facing our industry, and how we’ll continue to respond to rebuild traveler confidence.”

For more information or to register for the 25th Annual Boyd Group International Aviation Forecast Summit, please click here.

About Boyd Group International:

Founded in 1984, Boyd Group International has emerged as a leader in aviation forecasting and research, and provides top-level consulting assistance to airports, airlines, financial institutions and aircraft manufacturers. The International Aviation Forecast Summit annually brings together top CEOs and executives from all areas of the global industry to explore and discuss the emerging trends that will shape the future. In addition to incisive discussion sessions with aviation decision-makers, the Summit delivers cutting-edge forecasts, including passenger projections, aircraft demand by region, and financial shifts. For insight on Boyd Group International, log on to www.AviationForecastSummit.com or www.AviationPlanning.com.

About the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau:The Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau is a sales, marketing and service organization whose primary responsibility is to positively impact Hamilton County's and the City of Cincinnati's economy through visitor, convention and event expenditures. Travel and tourism have traditionally been a $5.3 billion industry in the Cincinnati region, employing more than 80,000 people in a variety of fields and bringing 26.6 million visitors annually. Due to the negative impact of the coronavirus on our industry, the CVB is focused on safety and recovery measures to keep businesses open and our community employed. Visit www.cincyusa.com for more. 

About CVG:

The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) welcomed more than 9.1 million passengers in 2019, a 2.7 percent increase over the prior year. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, CVG still offers the most nonstop destinations, airline choices, and the lowest average airfares in the region. As the 7th largest cargo airport in North America and home to the Amazon Air Hub and DHL Express Global Superhub, CVG is diversified in both passenger and cargo operations. With an annual impact of $6.8 billion on the local economy, the airport drives regional growth and remains a leader in innovation. Learn more about CVG and its response to COVID-19 at CVGairport.com/FlyHealthy.