Driving the conversation at ACI EUROPE General Assembly
24.06.2026
On June 23, Stargate was in Prague for the ACI EUROPE Annual Congress and General Assembly 2026. Together with sister projects TULIPS and OLGA, we joined one of the key gatherings of the airport community in Europe. As the sun is setting on the Stargate consortium, we wanted to this opportunity to gather input from the leading voices of our sector, and confront the learnings of our 5 years of research and innovation with their views and opinions.
Our objective was clear: share progress, challenge ideas and push the sustainability conversation further.
A packed breakfast session to kick off the day
The first day started with a breakfast session titled ‘Beyond Green Deal Commitments. Leading EU Airports Through the Sustainability Transition’. The format was an executive roundtable. Representatives for OLGA, TULIPS and Stargate shared lessons from the ground. What works. What they have learned. And where the real barriers lie.
The room filled up quickly. A strong signal that sustainability is high on the agenda, including at leadership level.
The discussion unfolded around a series of bold statements, each one designed to challenge perspectives and trigger debate:
- Sustainable Aviation Fuels are being over-discussed at airport level: the key constraints are beyond the airport’s sphere of control
- Airport sustainability strategies overfocus on CO₂ reduction while underestimating local impacts such as noise, air quality (e.g. NOx, UFP, etc.) and biodiversity.
- Airports should stop seeing themselves only as transport hubs and start operating as energy companies as well.
- If airports are serious about reducing local emissions, they must actively influence how passengers travel and staff commute, not just what happens on-site.
- Without active cooperation on airport best practices, sustainable airport innovation will remain fragmented and failing to deliver at scale.
One message stood out. Collaboration is not optional. Scaling sustainable solutions will only happen through strong partnerships across the ecosystem.
On other points, views diverged. Especially when weighing global climate goals against local environmental impacts. A reminder that the transition is complex and requires trade-offs.
Extending the conversation at the booth
The exchange did not stop after the session. It continued throughout the day at the Stargate-TULIPS-OLGA booth.
Visitors came to learn more about our projects and results. Conversations went deeper. More concrete. More operational.
We also welcomed high-level stakeholders, including Magda Kopczyńska, Director General for Mobility and Transport at the European Commission, Filip Cornelis, Director for Aviation at DG MOVE, and Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE.
These moments mattered. They gave us the opportunity to present our work directly to key decision-makers. And to hear their expectations for the sector.
The Stargate’s VR experience was once again a highlight. It attracted curiosity and engagement. Visitors could explore our projects up close, from DHL’s electric ground handling equipment to Skytanking operations, showing how SAF is delivered to aircraft. Almost as if they were there in real life. It helped bring complex projects to life in a simple and tangible way.
Learning from the leaders. Sharing what comes next
Attending ACI EUROPE’s events is always valuable. It brings together the people shaping the future of aviation. For Stargate, it is a chance to gather feedback and position our work within the broader transition.
The conversations in Prague confirmed one thing. The sector is moving. But faster progress will depend on alignment, clarity and collaboration