World Aviation Festival 2026: Day 1 highlights

Day 1 of the World Aviation Festival 2026 opened today in Lisbon, with airlines, airports and technology companies sharing how artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are being used to speed up aircraft turnarounds, improve ground operations and make journeys easier for passengers.  Exhibitors also released new industry research and announced airline partnerships at and ahead of the festival.

The festival brings together more than 4,500 attendees and 600 speakers over three days at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL), from Oct. 13 to Oct. 15.  New for 2026 are a dedicated Airport & Airline Collaboration Track and the Ancillary Arena, a pitch competition for new ancillary revenue ideas.