We are delighted to announce that the transport secretary, Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP, will be our keynote speaker at the unmissable AirportsUK Annual Conference taking place at County Hall, Westminster, SE1 7PB (map) on Wednesday 14 October. Ms Alexander will set the scene for the day, providing invaluable insight into the new government’s approach to aviation, how the sector can continue to contribute to policy making, and what she sees as airports’ role in delivering economic growth.

The theme for this year’s conference is Airports in a Changing World and delegates will hear from a host of renowned speakers, including economist Paul Johnson, shadow transport secretary Richard Holden MP, and a host of others, including sector leaders, esteemed commentators, senior politicians, high-ranking officials, and more. You can find more information about the agenda for the day, including timings, sessions and speakers by downloading the agenda, available here.

Registrations will begin from 8.30am, with the main conference starting at 9.30am and concluding at 5.00pm. There will then follow a drinks reception, where conversations and debates can continue, and we can celebrate all that the aviation industry, and airports in particular, have achieved this year. Pictures from our previous conferences in 2025 and 2024, along with our other events, on the AirportsUK Flickr account.

We are also grateful to NATS, the air traffic control and airport services provider, and SITA, the communications and information technology firm, who are sponsoring this year’s conference and whose support allows us to deliver this agenda-setting event. Topics for the day will include:

• The industry outlook
• Connecting the UK domestically and globally
• Resilience in the age of climate change
• Financing infrastructure and attracting investment
• The airline perspective

The UK aviation sector is world-leading, with our cities some of the best connected in the world, our population able to travel to destinations all over the world, and business able to take advantage of markets and supply chains that help them be some of the most competitive.

Over the past year the sector has had to confront the question of how it will respond to the national and international uncertainty we have seen, and continue to connect the UK with the whole world and the opportunities that it provides. This will ensure that we are able to grow our economy, keep in touch with our friends and families, and face the challenge of climate change.

This conference presents an unmissable opportunity for senior sector leaders to look out beyond the horizon, identify the issues we will need to be addressing in the future, and explore the solutions that will help us do that.

PLEASE NOTE: AirportsUK Corporate Partners and Gold members who have complimentary access to this event, please book as normal and select payment by invoice. You will not be charged for bookings within your allocation. Outside of this, the advertised fee applies to all airport and non-airport members, and is inclusive of VAT. Before booking your places, please familiarise yourself with the AirportsUK Annual Conference 2026 Terms and Conditions.