Aviation-Event at IATA AGM 2026 in Brazil (June 2026)
20. Mai 2026
Ahead of IATA AGM 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, Aviation-Event is gathering exclusive „State of the Industry“ perspectives from international aviation leaders and stakeholders.
We are pleased to feature insights from Peter Baumgartner, Former CEO of Etihad Airways and Chairman of Bluearbre Ltd.
„Aviation today stands at a geopolitical crossroads. The industry is expanding at record pace, while the world around it is fragmenting. What many still underestimate is that the centre of gravity has already shifted – decisively – toward the Middle East.
Having served as CEO of Etihad Airways, I’ve seen firsthand how its leaders think, invest, and execute: long-term, strategically, and with a clarity of purpose that parts of the West are still struggling to reclaim. Aviation is not seen as a transport sector, but as a nation-building instrument, a geopolitical asset, and a long-term strategic bet.
The global market is now shaped less by aircraft orders and more by political alignment, supply-chain vulnerability, and the ability to operate confidently in an era of permanent uncertainty. Yet the real story is this: the regions that will lead aviation are those that understand power, purpose, and partnership. The Middle East does – because it has built its aviation vision in the middle of complexity, not in spite of it.
The future of global air connectivity will belong to those who can read the geopolitical landscape as clearly as they read a balance sheet. From my years in Abu Dhabi, one truth comes to mind: ambition backed by strategic certainty always outperforms caution disguised as prudence.“
As part of Aviation-Event’s dedicated on-site media coverage during IATA AGM 2026, additional executive perspectives and interviews will follow in the coming days.
#AviationEvent #IATAAGM #AviationIndustry #AviationLeadership #MiddleEast
We are pleased to feature insights from Peter Baumgartner, Former CEO of Etihad Airways and Chairman of Bluearbre Ltd.
„Aviation today stands at a geopolitical crossroads. The industry is expanding at record pace, while the world around it is fragmenting. What many still underestimate is that the centre of gravity has already shifted – decisively – toward the Middle East.
Having served as CEO of Etihad Airways, I’ve seen firsthand how its leaders think, invest, and execute: long-term, strategically, and with a clarity of purpose that parts of the West are still struggling to reclaim. Aviation is not seen as a transport sector, but as a nation-building instrument, a geopolitical asset, and a long-term strategic bet.
The global market is now shaped less by aircraft orders and more by political alignment, supply-chain vulnerability, and the ability to operate confidently in an era of permanent uncertainty. Yet the real story is this: the regions that will lead aviation are those that understand power, purpose, and partnership. The Middle East does – because it has built its aviation vision in the middle of complexity, not in spite of it.
The future of global air connectivity will belong to those who can read the geopolitical landscape as clearly as they read a balance sheet. From my years in Abu Dhabi, one truth comes to mind: ambition backed by strategic certainty always outperforms caution disguised as prudence.“
As part of Aviation-Event’s dedicated on-site media coverage during IATA AGM 2026, additional executive perspectives and interviews will follow in the coming days.
#AviationEvent #IATAAGM #AviationIndustry #AviationLeadership #MiddleEast