Jetrader - Winter 2014 - 12

ISTAT

in istanbul
S
from ISTAT Europe 2014

By Dick Forsberg, ISTAT Europe 2014 Co-Chair, Head of Strategy, Avolon

September 2014 saw several ISTAT records
broken as ISTAT Europe was hosted in
Istanbul for the first time. This is a city
that has something for everybody. Steeped
in history, the bridge between Europe and
Asia, Istanbul is a melting pot of cultures
with a teeming population of 13 million.
Our members came to see for themselves in
record numbers, breaking the 1,000 level
by a comfortable margin. They came to
take part in a city walking tour that visited
some of the most historic landmarks in the
city; they came for a unique cruise on the
Bosphorus, that legendary waterway that
links the Black Sea to the Mediterranean
and is the border between Asia and Europe;
they came for the receptions and networking that are the hallmarks of ISTAT; and
they came for first-class presentations on
a wide range of topical issues presented by
some of the industry's most experienced
practitioners.
In recognition of our host city and country, the conference opened with a keynote

speech from the CEO of Turkish Airlines,
Dr. Temel Kotil, in which he described
to a packed auditorium the pivotal role
that Turkey plays as one of the major geographical crossroads of the world. He also
discussed his vision for the airline as it
develops a network and business model to
rival the "Middle East three," growing at
a rate of 10 percent per annum to reach a
planned fleet of 450 aircraft and 120 million passengers within a decade.
The two-day ISTAT Europe program
included some old favorites, with the
Lessors Panel and the Financiers Panel
again drawing the largest crowds, along
with the traditional "discussion" between
Airbus and Boeing. More recent additions
included a popular Economists Panel and
The Great Debate, whilst a lively Part-Out
Panel was aired for the first time.
With plenty of space and time for meetings around the Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus
Hotel and Convention Center, the delegates made the most of the networking

12 The official publication of the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading

21-23
September
2014

opportunities, and many conversations
reflected the positive mood set by the
majority of conference presenters. Most
delegates believe that this industry cycle
has yet to reach its peak, with the audience
response polling system showing 62 percent
of the audience supporting that view.
The conference wound down with
a spectacular Gala Dinner at the 1001
Columns Cistern, an underground Roman
reservoir built in the fifth century that
epitomizes the sense of history pervading
the city. This was followed by an energetic
after-party back at the hotel, where a live
band had delegates dancing (and singing)
into the small hours.

Audience Participation
Throughout this article, look for
results from onsite surveys during the
presentations.
Jetrader - Winter 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jetrader - Winter 2014
