Government and Industry Leaders Across 50 Countries Gather in Singapore for 3rd Changi Aviation Summit
29 January 2026
CAAS will sign nine agreements on sustainability, innovation and human capital development to build new capabilities and forge strategic partnerships
From 1 to 2 February 2026, about 350 government and industry leaders from over 50 countries will gather in Singapore for the 3rd Changi Aviation Summit, to discuss how they can create growth in a disruptive world, reimagine air travel and redesign air connectivity. Global air travel demand is expected to grow strongly and nearly triple over the next 25 years, even amidst a volatile environment. This Summit is a timely opportunity for Ministers, Directors-General of Civil Aviation, Heads of International Organisations and Chief Executive Officers of airlines, airports and air navigation service providers to gather, to discuss the way forward.
2 Mr Jeffrey Siow, Singapore Acting Minister for Transport and Senior Minister of State for Finance will open the Summit with a keynote address. This will be Minister Siow’s first Summit as Transport Minister since assuming the portfolio last year. The newly elected President of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council, Mr Toshiyuki Onuma, will also deliver his first international address at the Summit. The Summit, held in conjunction with the Singapore Airshow 2026, is jointly organised by the Singapore Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), in partnership with Changi Airport Group, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and Experia Events. Themed “Rising Above Disruption: Building the Aviation Ecosystem of Tomorrow”, the Summit will have three high-level panels, discussing a) Creating Growth in a Disruptive World: Opportunities, Challenges, Collaborations; b) Reimagining Travel: Capacity, Technology, Experience; and c) Re-designing Connectivity: Strategy, Networks, Business Models respectively. Please refer to Annex A for programme details.
Growing the Singapore Air Hub
3 The Singapore air hub has been growing strongly, handling record traffic of close to 70 million passengers in 2025. In 2026, CAAS will continue to work with aviation companies and unions to strengthen the competitiveness of the Singapore air hub – first, by building capabilities in sustainability, innovation and human capital; and second, through forging strategic partnerships. At the coming Changi Aviation Summit and Singapore Airshow 2026, CAAS will sign nine agreements with various strategic partners on sustainability, innovation and human capital development.
Cleaner Energy, Sustainable Journeys
4 At the last Summit in 2024, CAAS published the Singapore Sustainable Air Hub Blueprint, which adopts a balanced approach to the long-term, sustainable growth of Singapore’s aviation sector. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a central pillar of this roadmap. CAAS is mandating a SAF Levy for flights departing Singapore from 1 October 2026. CAAS has also set up the Singapore Sustainable Aviation Fuel Company Ltd. (SAFCo) to procure SAF centrally.
5 This year, CAAS and SAFCo will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to launch Singapore's first voluntary SAF procurement trial. The trial will bring together companies seeking to reduce their carbon footprint credibly and cost-effectively, to aggregate voluntary SAF demand through SAFCo. This voluntary SAF demand will complement regulated demand and help develop a scalable and integrated SAF ecosystem in Singapore.
6 On 4 February 2026, the Asia Pacific Sustainable Aviation Centre under CAAS will also hold a Sustainable Aviation Forum, to discuss unlocking the value of SAF in the Asia-Pacific region and share lessons on SAF policy development. Speakers for this closed-door forum include senior executives from Airbus, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, EcoCeres, GenZero, IATA, OCBC and Neste. Please refer to Annex B for programme details.
Pioneering Partnerships, Paving Innovation
7 Technology, in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, internet of things and big data, will transform aviation fundamentally. Because aviation is global and safety-critical, deployment at scale will require global and public-private sector partnership.
8 CAAS will sign four MOUs to develop and trial game-changing technologies and establish Singapore as a hub for aviation innovation. They include partnerships to (i) accelerate the development of next-generation aviation and aerospace technologies, (ii) develop new air navigation services capabilities to enhance resilience, safety and efficiency; (iii) develop an end-to-end readiness framework for airlines, airports and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul operations to support propulsion technology for the next generations of aircraft, and (iv) develop a Large Physics foundation Model to improve the hub’s performance, productivity and capacity.
9 On 4 February 2026, the International Centre for Aviation Innovation under CAAS will convene an Innovation Symposium to discuss how the aviation sector can accelerate and sustain innovation. Speakers for this closed-door symposium include senior executives from Boeing, Thales, ST Engineering, SATS, Vertical Aerospace, the United States Federal Aviation Administration, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department, and the Singapore University of Technology and Design. Please refer to Annex C for programme details.
Building Capability, Nurturing Leaders
10 Human capital development is key to ensuring a sufficient supply of qualified aviation leaders and professionals to fuel the growth of the sector. Singapore and ICAO will sign an agreement to jointly develop and deliver a new global leadership programme on air navigation services for Directors-General of Civil Aviation. The programme provides a platform for Directors-General to work together to build capacity and capabilities in the skies to support the growth of air travel. Singapore will also sign two training cooperation agreements with Kenya and North Macedonia respectively. In addition, CAAS will sign an agreement with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand to have staff attachments and exchanges between the two authorities. The Singapore Aviation Academy, the training arm of CAAS, and France’s École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile will launch a joint Advanced Master in Air Transport Management to grow aviation leadership, regulatory capabilities and safety outcomes in Pacific Small Island Developing States.
11 In support of the ICAO Next Generation of Aviation Professionals initiative, CAAS will also host a Women in Aviation Fireside Chat on 3 February 2026 on reimagining aviation careers in a changing world. Speakers comprise prominent female civil aviation leaders who will share their career journeys in a cosy setting. The fireside chat is free and open to students and the public. Those interested can refer to CAAS’ social media for more information and register at https://go.gov.sg/firesidechatpublic. Confirmed participants will be notified prior to the event. Please refer to Annex D for programme details.
12 Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General, CAAS, said: “Singapore aviation did well in 2025. Our future is bright, but we need to navigate more turbulent skies, to continue to succeed. We are investing in new capabilities, in sustainability, innovation and human capital, and strengthening global and public-private partnerships. There is a lot of buzz and interest in the Changi Aviation Summit. Amidst uncertainty, leaders find value in such a gathering, for exchanging notes and strategies.”
Annex A - Changi Aviation Summit 2026 Programme
Annex B - Programme for Sustainable Aviation Forum
Annex C - Programme for Innovation Symposium
Annex D - Programme for Women in Aviation Fireside Chat
About the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
The mission of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is to grow a safe, vibrant air hub and civil aviation system, making a key contribution to Singapore's success. CAAS' roles are to oversee and promote safety in the aviation industry, develop the air hub and aviation industry, provide air navigation services, provide aviation training for human resource development, and contribute to the development of international civil aviation. For more information, visit www.caas.gov.sg.
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