20.10.2026

ERAA General Assembly 2026

October saw HAV’s Passenger Markets Director, Jonathan Sumner, join the regional aviation industry in Belfast for the 2026 European Regions Airline Association General Assembly. Under the theme “The future of regional aviation: connectivity at a crossroads”, the event brought together airlines, airports and aviation partners to explore the challenges facing regional services and the opportunities to strengthen connections between communities.

Jonathan was at the event to take part in the Future of Technology workshop. Joining a panel of industry experts spanning airport infrastructure and innovative technology solutions, from ATAG, Edeis Airports, BETA Technologies, and Electra, they discussed where emerging aircraft could make the biggest difference to regional aviation.

Jonathan highlighted how Airlander will connect remote and underserved regions with major hubs and how it could provide an air ferry service between places separated by water, strengthening connections between islands and the mainland in regions such as Scotland’s Highlands and Islands. Airlander is capable of carrying up to 130 passengers and operating without conventional runway infrastructure, which means it could open up direct routes in areas where geography or limited infrastructure makes transport difficult, reducing the need for lengthy connections. Jonathan also talked about the passenger experience. The quiet, spacious cabin will offer a comfortable environment to work, socialise or relax, bringing a different passenger experience to regional travel.

The General Assembly also provided a valuable opportunity to engage with airlines, airports and industry partners from across Europe, gaining first-hand insight into the challenges facing regional operators and the priorities shaping the sector's future.

“Clearly there are significant pressures in the short-term that don’t make growth (or even survival) easy, but I am struck by the resilience and professionalism of the sector, and the continued desire to find solutions to decarbonisation over the long-term. New ideas and innovations remain welcome. Questions over energy supply and security, alongside the need to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, are reframing the sustainability agenda into a more pragmatic and realistic tone. Talking with operators about Airlander is first and foremost about its unique capabilities to open new markets, develop new revenue streams and create passenger growth. That said, sustainability and decarbonisation remained a very significant part of the agenda during the assembly, and the debate over solutions and new technologies was alive and well. Within that debate, the possibility of a commercially viable hydrogen-powered aircraft with zero emissions was a strong talking point and a challenge to the orthodoxy of sustainable aviation fuel and electric aviation.”

Jonathan Sumner Passenger Markets Director, Hybrid Air Vehicles

Aviation Week covered more on this in its post-show report. Read more here.

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