ACA shares details on Leadership Symposium 2026
This is a special feature from the September 2025 IFSA Global EXPO issue of PAX International, on page 62.
Fabio Gamba, Managing Director, Airline Catering Association
Details for the second annual Airline Catering Association (ACA) Leadership Symposium have been revealed to PAX International as the Official Media Partner for the event. The 2026 iteration will be hosted in Toulouse, France, from February 18 to 20. Building on its successful debut in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, earlier this year, the event will once again bring together airline catering experts to collaborate on service quality improvements, sustainability and operational efficiency.
Fabio Gamba, Managing Director of the Airline Catering Association, tells PAX International that the goal of the symposium is to advance the future of inflight catering by focusing on themes such as innovation, sustainability, operational resilience, passenger-centric service and collaboration across the supply chain.
“Airline catering involves complex logistics and high expectations for quality, safety and sustainability,” Gamba says. “This event is designed to align the ecosystem around solutions, knowledge-sharing and innovation that keeps the industry future-ready.”
The program opens with remarks from Jonathan Stent-Torriani, Chairman of Newrest and ACA President, alongside Gamba. The keynote address will be delivered by Nicolas Dubois from France’s civil aviation authority Direction générale de l’aviation civile (DGAC).
Gamba outlines a packed agenda, including an industry update on market trends and outlook for 2026; an airline panel on evolving passenger expectations, sustainability priorities and the role of innovation in inflight catering; a CEO roundtable focused on digital transformation, sustainability and culinary trends; and a candid session examining supply chain disruptions, the agility of smaller kitchens and increasing audit fatigue.
Airline catering experts will unite at the second annual ACA Leadership Symposium to collaborate on service quality, sustainability and operational efficiency
One of the symposium’s highlights will be a two-hour supplier pitch showcase, where goods and service providers can present the latest products and innovations directly to inflight catering buyers. The interactive format is designed to spotlight solutions that directly address industry challenges and build new partnerships.
"We want this symposium to be a place for honest exchange and practical ideas that move the industry forward, from digital transformation to changing passenger expectations,” concludes Gamba.
On the final day, attendees will have the opportunity to tour Airbus’s nearby facilities in Toulouse.
The full speaker list will be announced closer to the event.
PAX International as your Official Media Partner
PAX International will be front and center as Official Media Partner, so stay tuned as Managing Editor Jane Hobson provides in-depth reporting directly from the event.
