AERODROME INDIA 2010- A WALK TO REMEMBER

Aerodrome India 2010 – the Fourth International Exhibition and Business Forum on Airport Infrastructure, Operations, Security & Connectivity was held between 08- 10 April 2010 at Bombay Exhibition Center, Mumbai, India.

Aerodrome India 2010 being the only exhibition of its kind for the airport sector in India for the year 2010 organised by PDA Trade Fairs (PDATF) in association with Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies & Industries (SIATI) and Airports International- Indian Edition. Aerodrome India 2010 was supported and Endorsed by Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, Airports Authority of India, the Rotary Wings Society of India, the Federation of Indian Pilots, the Danish Airport Group, the Air Traffic Controller’s Guild, the newly formed Association of Private Airport Operators of India (APAO) comprising of Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), Cochin International Airport (CIAL), Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), Hyderabad International Airport Limited (HIAL) & Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (MIAL), the Air Passenger’s Association of India (APAI) and the Foundation for Aviation and Sustainable Tourism (FAST).

The event was organised under the able guidance and direction of a National Advisory Council, headed by, Shri. V. P. Agrawal, Chairman, Airports Authority of India, the other members of the Advisory council were drawn from the entire gamut of the civil aviation industry in India. The organising committee headed by Dr. C. G. Krishnadas Nair supervised the progress of the event periodically through review meetings and regular appraisals.

The inaugural function was graced by dignitaries such as V. K. Agarwal, Senior Advisor, Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd., Mr. R.K. Jain, President, Mumbai International Airport Ltd. and Mr. Praveen Seth, Member (Operations), Airports Authority of India.

Having moved away from the concept of standalone technical seminars, Aerodrome India 2010 incorporated having a Forum and Business to Business (B2B) round tables involving the Regional Airport Authorities, the Policy Makers and Airlines Heads, organised by Airports International Indian Edition magazine.

The forum included over 50 speakers (both National & International) and more than 300 delegates participating, to address the overall theme of the Forum (viz) INDIA’S CIVIL AVIATION ROADMAP- AN OVERVIEW OF THE DECADE AHEAD. The Forum and B2B round table addressed subjects such as Airport Operations, Ground & Baggage Handling, Airport Traffic Services, Airport Security, Airport Connectivity and Air Cargo.

On the third day, the 10th of April, for the first time ever, the top brass of India’s airports and airlines sat down and hashed out the most pressing issues faced by the industry, face to face.

The Chief Patron for Aerodrome India 2010 was GVK Group, the lead partner for Mumbai International Airport Ltd. and the Co- Hosts for the Network Evening at Aerodrome India 2010 were Air India Airlines and the GMR Group, lead partner for Delhi International Airport Ltd. and Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. The other associates of Aerodrome India 2010: Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, IBM India Ltd, Air India Airlines, SITA, Skidata (India) Pvt Ltd, Gunnebo India Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, and Cargo Service Center.

The exhibition was held in Mumbai as it is the business hub of India and therefore had a specific purpose of ensuring a representative visitor profile consisting of not just the decision makers from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Airports Authority of India and the Airline Community, but also the other targeted avenues of the aviation industry most of whom are based in and around Mumbai, to visit the exhibition. Aerodrome India 2010 accommodated over 1500 visitors, the most such an event in India has ever seen.