Event hosts have confirmed that the oneDXB Sustainability Alliance — chaired by Dubai Airports and comprising airlines, ground-handlers and service providers — will present a “fully sustainable ground turnaround” showcase, offering a live demonstration of how an airport’s logistics cycle might operate with net-zero ambition. The alliance will bring together players including dnata and flydubai to highlight real-time solutions.
Leading manufacturers and aviation bodies are set to participate on this sustainability push. Airbus, Boeing, Airports Council International and the other major industry names are listed among confirmed participants, aligning their decarbonisation ambitions with this show’s agenda. According to their statements, sustainability is no longer merely aspirational but embedded in near-term strategy.
A focal area will be the scaling of sustainable aviation fuel deployment and related fuel-ecosystem innovation, addressing long-standing barriers around supply, cost and policy. At the event’s sustainability conference, panels will tackle topics such as unlocking green financing for aviation, next-generation fuel technologies including e-fuels and hydrogen, and infrastructure for decarbonised airport operations. The conference agenda indicates sessions such as “Unlocking SAF growth: Building confidence through SAF offtakes” and “Building the energy bridge to 2050: SAF, LCAF, eFuels and Hydrogen”.
The venue’s infrastructure is also set to reflect the eco-ambitions. Exhibitors are required to participate in the “Better Stands” programme, which mandates modular, reusable exhibition stands and usage of renewable electricity. There will be a surge in solar-powered maintenance cabins, a push to eliminate single-use plastics and sustainable food & beverage choices. Ground-handling equipment powered by electric or propane technologies will be demonstrated on-site, reducing emissions across the show footprint.
For airports and handlers, the ground-turnaround showcase offers a tangible test-bed for operations in arid, high-throughput environments which face unique sustainability constraints. The oneDXB initiative’s ambition—and risk—is to move beyond theory and deliver scalable solutions. As Sven Deckers, Director Sustainability at Dubai Airports, has noted: “Sustainability in aviation is no longer about future ambition, it is a current necessity.”
While the sustainability theme is prominent, stakeholders recognise significant hurdles remain. The ramp-up of SAF production is challenged by feedstock scarcity, high cost and unclear regulatory regimes. Decarbonising airport infrastructure in desert climates imposes technical burdens, including managing dust, cooling loads and solar-panel efficiency losses. Moreover, global aviation regulatory frameworks are still converging, leaving regional players navigating mixed standards. Panel discussions will probe these issues and explore how collaboration at scale can overcome them.
Start-ups and scale-ups are also being drawn into the fold. Through the show’s “Vista” challenges, innovators in autonomous robotics, advanced airport sustainability and satellite/space applications will pitch solutions that align with the green agenda. One challenge titled “Airports of the Future” explicitly seeks designs for terminals that generate clean energy in extreme climates, eliminate landfill waste and restore biodiversity in arid zones. The winners may gain mentorship from Dubai Airports and network access through the oneDXB alliance.
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