PRESS RELEASE: Cluj International Airport hosted the fourth edition of the Regional Air Transport Conference dedicated to "Regional Development and Geopolitical Challenges"
Cluj-Napoca, September 9, 2025: Avram Iancu Cluj International Airport hosted on 8 September 2025, the fourth edition of the regional aviation conference "2025 Regional Air Transport Conference - Regional developments and geopolitical challenges" in collaboration with the ATN - Air Transport News platform, specialized in organizing prestigious aviation conferences on a European level.
The event brought together, in a one-day conference held at the airport, renowned experts from the international civil aviation industry, representatives of the relevant national authorities and directors of airlines and airports from Europe and Romania.
Among the speakers at this event were: Michael Harrington, President and CEO – Association of Airlines in Europe (AIRE), Catalin Radu, Executive Director EACAC and Director General – Aviation Government Compliance Network, Costin Iordache, General Manager, TAROM and Petros Kavassalis, Associate Professor and Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, University of the Aegean, Mr. David Ciceo – General Manager, Cluj International Airport, as well as Mr. Kostas Iatrou – CEO, Air Transport News.
In support of the event held at Cluj International Airport, The President of the Cluj County Council, Mr. Alin Tişe sent the following: "Opening new bridges for the development of regional airports, including by organizing these specialized aviation conferences, represents a strategic approach that the Cluj County Council supports and behind which we are convinced that the notoriety of the results obtained by Cluj International Airport, over time, improves."
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cluj International Airport, Mr. Viorel Federiga He also wanted to clarify: "The efforts of Cluj Airport to always be in direct contact with the expertise of specialists in the field of European and international aviation do not stop and here we are seeing the 4th edition of the Regional Air Transport Conference in Cluj-Napoca, an event that has already become a tradition and which always brings new and new benchmarks for the healthy development of regional airports."
Mr. David Ciceo, General Manager of Cluj International Airport stated on this occasion: "We are honored that Cluj International Airport hosted the fourth edition of the Regional Air Transport Conference, a landmark event for regional aviation, in a context marked by geopolitical challenges and rapid transformations. The award given to the airport confirms the work and dedication of our team, as well as the strategic role of Cluj International Airport in the connectivity and development of the region."
The main topics debated at the conference were those related to the challenges and opportunities in regional air transport, such as: geopolitical challenges and their impact on regional aviation, modernization and expansion of regional airports to support economic growth and connectivity, sustainability in regional aviation, innovative technologies for reducing emissions and fuel consumption, and respectively addressing the impact of economic crises on the regional aviation industry and adaptation strategies.
Hosting this conference highlights Cluj International Airport's important role for air transport in the region, highlighting its commitment to innovation, sustainability and collaboration between aviation stakeholders and promoting sustainable and efficient aviation practices.
The conference also featured a ceremony to award the Regional Air Transport Conference awards for 2025, which were presented to the following winners:
- Regional Air Transport Conference 2025 – Organization Award, was awarded AIRE Association for its essential role in supporting the aviation industry at the regulatory level, facilitating its members' access to European and international reference institutions in the field and for its unique status as the oldest airline association in Europe. The award was presented to Mr. Michael Harrington, President and CEO of the Association of Airlines in Europe (AIRE), present at the event.
- To Mr. David Ciceo and the entire team of Cluj International Airport they were awarded the prize Regional Air Transport Conference 2025 – Corporate Award for the extraordinary results achieved regarding the annual increase in passenger traffic, for correlating Romania's access to the Schengen Airspace with the Expansion of the Departures Passenger Terminal, as well as for the constant attraction of new airlines and destinations to the airport's route network.
- Mr. Costin Iordache, CEO of TAROM, he was awarded the prize Regional Air Transport Conference 2025 – Individual Award for his mandate as a results-oriented General Manager, for his leadership qualities capable of achieving performance through very good management of coordinated teams, for his excellent communication and negotiation skills, as well as for his status as a trusted partner of top CEOs in the aviation industry.
The 2025 Regional Air Transport Conference is an essential platform for debates on the future of air transport, focusing on improving connectivity and regional development in Central and Eastern Europe.
The conference provided a unique opportunity for participants to explore new growth strategies, share best practices and address emerging challenges that will contribute to the transformation of regional air transport. The conference was also an opportunity to create strategic partnerships and identify trends that will define the future of the regional air sector.
At the opening of the conference, a classical music concert was organized, with the theme “Greek Evening”. The concert took place on Sunday, September 7, 2025, in the Studio Hall of the Hungarian State Theatre Cluj, and was performed by Evgenia Votanopoulou (piano), Nina Patrikidou (violin) and Gianis Iatrou (violin).
***
Press office
