Chief executive officers (CEOs) of Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways will address critical issues in aviation, travel and tourism at the upcoming World Routes Strategy Summit in Chicago.

The summit, taking place at World Routes in Chicago from September 20 to 23, will also see speakers from many other major airlines.

Middle East speakers include Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways; James Hogan, CEO of Etihad Airways and Sir Tim Clark, president & CEO of Emirates.

Hogan will give a keynote address; Al Baker will take part in a panel discussion on Critical Issues in Air Transport Today while Sir Tim Clark will be interviewed one-to-one during the summit.

 In addition, major airline speakers at the event will include Scott Kirby, president of American Airlines, Jim Compton, vice chairman of United Airlines, Vitaly Savelyev, CEO of Aeroflot and Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines.

Occurring on September 21 and 22, the World Routes Strategy Summit is open to all attending World Routes delegates and will open the 20th World Route Development Forum in Chicago, co-hosted by the City of Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and Choose Chicago, the city's tourism organisation.

"World Routes is where the industry meets, and where critical issues in aviation, travel and tourism are debated to advance the industry. We have a great set of executive speakers this year in Chicago," said Mike Miller, head of Content and Industry Relations for Routes.

The Strategy Summit is the only forum where senior leaders and key stakeholders from aviation, tourism authorities and governments come together to participate in discussions that will set the commercial and political agenda for the industry.

The event will bring these industry thought leaders under one roof to participate in a number of discussions covering topics affecting the industry today such as route development, infrastructure, airport processing and security, sustainability and how new aircraft will alter route planning.

The 20th anniversary World Routes event will be held at Chicago's McCormick Place, the largest convention facility in the Western Hemisphere. – TradeArabia News Service