IATA Slot Conference 2023
The Brief
The Slot Conference (SC) is a business meeting, attracting over 1,300+ delegates, with representatives of well over 300 capacity-constrained airport, 250+ individual airlines, and 90+ sponsors and exhibitors that attend from all corners of the globe. The goal of the conference is for airlines to obtain the slots that will give them the best possible schedule to offer their customers at coordinated airports.
This twice-yearly meeting is one of IATA’s largest events, which regularly rotates locations throughout the world. The conference has been taking place since 1948 and is a significant moment in the aviation planning diary, allowing the global airline community the opportunity to meet for quickfire optimization of their planned schedules, while looking at new opportunities for route and network growth.
It came to Dublin for the first-time last June, and The CCD was delighted with the news, having bid for the event in previous years. The client wanted a conference centre well-located vis a vis airport with flexible room that could be used for different purposes and a high level of exhibition space.
The Solution
A three-day build was required for this event, beginning on Saturday 10 June 2023. Directors and airport coordinators visited the venue during the build to review set-up and identify any changes needed.
The Airline Coordinator Session was held in The Forum and the space was laid out with rows of tables and power to enable airport officials to meet with airline officials and discuss slots allocation. Each table was required to have a main for power meaning quite a large power pull was needed for the event.
As the appointments were back-to-back all day, reliable power and Wi-Fi were paramount. CCD Maintenance and CCD Events ICT ensured that a steady service was delivered and were on hand for any troubleshooting that may occur. To keep a steady flow of traffic moving between meetings and in and out of the Forum, a speed dating set up was put into place. CCD Technical installed and projected a giant, digital countdown clock on the wall to show when meetings would start and end. Key to the success of this event was reliability across all event services, which The CCD met.
CCD Hospitality catered for all event delegates offering light lunch options in the form of an authentic and sustainable full Irish buffet each day. On the final day of the event a grab and go option was provided to facilitate people meeting their travelling schedules. The menu consisted of a diverse range of options including oatmeal cranachan with a hint of Teelings whiskey and home-grown seasonal greens.
In addition to the coordinator session, there was a large exhibition hosted in the Liffey suite, with 72 stands 3x3 sqm and an agora – mini platform in the centre of the room. There was additional seating for delegates perusing the exhibition, as well as catering for those who wished to attend the exhibition on the go.
The Result
On Wednesday 14 June, the event went live and over 1,300+ delegates walked through the doors of The CCD for the first Slots Conference in Dublin. The running order for meetings and maintaining a consistent flow through the building was paramount to the success of this event and a priority for the client. As this was the first time this event had been held in Dublin, the team at The CCD delivered a smooth and successful event with plans meticulously followed and executed.
Client Thoughts
“The 152nd IATA Slot Conference was a great success, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the support and professionalism of the entire Convention Centre Dublin staff. First, a very big thank you to Nathalie for her patience and invaluable support during the bid process through to the contract signature. Secondly a big thank you to Declan for his efficiency and responsiveness on site to our requests.
The venue was well suited to this event, and delegates greatly appreciated the meeting spaces, seamless internet connection and Dublin location. Finally, as an event organizer, I appreciated the fact that each meeting room was fully equipped with audio-visual solutions, the numerous screens provided plenty of visibility and signage, and last but not least, it was very pleasant to work in a venue with plenty of natural light.” – Youna Dufournet, Project Director, GL events