CADA /26 gathers 200 aviation professionals in Almaty for digitalization talks

Central Asia Digital Aviation /26, held on April 21 in Almaty, brought together more than 200 professionals from nearly 80 companies across 18 countries. The event confirmed its role as a key industry platform where airlines, airports, travel-tech companies, and solution providers engage in practical, business-oriented discussions on digital transformation.

As Central Asia’s aviation sector continues to expand, the conference highlighted a critical point: growth alone is no longer sufficient. Sustainable development requires robust digital infrastructure—spanning airline retailing, revenue management, IT resilience, and seamless passenger experience. Building on the momentum of previous editions, CADA /26 provided a structured environment for knowledge exchange, peer dialogue, and direct interaction with technology providers actively deploying solutions at scale.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev prioritizes transport and aviation digitalization as key pillars transforming Kazakhstan into Eurasia’s logistics hub. 2026 was declared the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, aligning perfectly with our summit’s focus.

Against this national urgency, Central Asia: Digital Aviation #3 delivered actionable solutions for Kazakhstan’s aviation leaders – from NDC retailing to AI operations and CRM transformation.

Program overview: from airline digitalization to distribution and airport innovation

The conference agenda was structured across four sessions, covering the full spectrum of digital aviation — from airline operations and retailing to airport systems and travel distribution.

Welcome Address from Aldiyar Kabdolda, Expert in MICE and I.R., Almaty Tourism Bureau, set the business tone for the entire conference.

Session 1: Revolutionizing airline operations with digital tools

The opening session set the tone with a strong focus on how airlines can leverage digital technologies to address rising demand, cost pressures, and increasing operational complexity.

Maxim Pyadushkin, Chief Editor of Central Asia+ Aero, opened with a comprehensive overview of the regional aviation market, outlining growth drivers, structural constraints, and emerging opportunities.

Revenue optimization and distribution transformation were addressed by Richard Cooke, VP Business Development at Accelya, who examined the practical implementation of NDC frameworks in emerging markets.

“The Central Asia Digital Aviation Festival was a genuinely valuable event — bringing airline customers together in one place made for efficient, high-quality conversations that would otherwise take months to arrange across the region. The discussions gave me a much clearer picture of where the market is heading and the specific challenges carriers in Central Asia are navigating right now. It was also a great opportunity to share what we’re seeing in other markets and talk through the trends shaping airline distribution and retailing globally — the audience was engaged and the dialogue was two-way. A well-organized event with a warm, professional team behind it,” said Richard.

From an airline perspective, Zhanna Shayakhmetova, VP Marketing & Sales at Air Astana, shared insights into digital transformation across sales and marketing functions, including customer engagement and channel strategy.

The evolution toward modern airline retailing models was further explored by Emin Emiroglu, Regional Director at Sabre, with a focus on Offers & Orders frameworks and their commercial implications.

Customer engagement and digital behavior were addressed by Aliya Bazhenova, Marketing Manager at FlyArystan, highlighting the role of digital marketing in driving self-service adoption.

Additional perspectives included Francesc Torres, Chief Operations Officer at Vietjet Qazaqstan, and Dmitry Novikov, Co-Founder & CEO of Paximizer, who examined how artificial intelligence and intent-based technologies are reshaping the pre-booking phase of the customer journey.

Session 2: Next-generation PSS and distribution models

The second session focused on the evolution of Passenger Service Systems (PSS) and distribution strategies tailored to high-growth markets.

Ozan Berk Karataş, Product Manager at Turkish Technology, addressed the transition from traditional PSS architectures to Offer–Order retailing environments.

“Turkish Technology is thrilled to support the Central Asia Digital Aviation Summit, a pivotal platform driving digital innovation and regional connectivity in aviation. We look forward to showcasing cutting-edge solutions that empower the future of Central Asian skies,” said Ozan Berk Karataş.

Expanding on operational delivery, Sören Destoop, VP APAC at iPort DCS, presented the shift toward Order-Oriented Service Delivery (OOSD), emphasizing execution at the airport level.

From a data and CRM perspective, Vusala Isayeva, Director of CRM and Data Management at Azerbaijan Airlines, demonstrated how data-driven strategies are supporting passenger experience and digital transformation across the airline’s network.

Session 3: Digital frontiers in airport operations

Airport digitalization formed the core of the third session, focusing on operational efficiency, system integration, and data-driven decision-making.

Marina Savateeva, Chief Product Officer at Advantix Group, outlined current trends in digital airport solutions, emphasizing the convergence of operational efficiency and innovation.

The subsequent discussion, “Airports in the Digital Era — From Data to Decisions,” brought together infrastructure and IT leaders, including:

Hamdi Guvenc, Board Member of YDA Group of Companies and Advisor to the Chairman of Aktau International Airport

Slavica Kuvendzieva, VP IT Operations, TAV Technologies Kazakhstan (Almaty Airport)

Maxim Pyadushkin, Chief Editor, Central Asia+ Aero
The discussion focused on how airports can transition from data collection to actionable insights, enabling more efficient operations and improved passenger flows.

Session 4: Digital travel and distribution ecosystems in Central Asia

The final session expanded the scope to the broader travel ecosystem, addressing digitalization across the entire passenger journey — from booking to boarding.

The panel discussion “Digital Edge: Boosting Loyalty and Competitiveness in Aviation,” moderated by Maxim Pyadushkin, featured:

Vusala Isayeva, Azerbaijan Airlines

Ozan Peneklioglu, VP Sales & Marketing (Aviation), Turkish Airlines

Zhanna Shayakhmetova, Air Astana
The discussion addressed loyalty ecosystems, personalization, and competitive positioning in an increasingly digital marketplace.

A second panel, “The Future of B2C Travel Distribution in Central Asia,” hosted by Travel Massive, explored structural shifts in distribution models.

Moderated by Leonid Pustov (Almaty Chapter Leader, Travel Massive) and Yerkin Tikenov (Director, Incide Travel Research / Public Council, Kazakh Tourism), the panel brought together key market players, including:

Victoria Kizimova, CEO, My Agent Kazakhstan

Vadim Vladyko, CPO, Tickets.kz

Andrey Lozinskiy, General Director, TCH — Central Asia

Daurzhan Kopzhanov, Chief Marketing Officer, Almaty Tourism Bureau
The discussion examined the growing influence of fintech ecosystems, super apps, and AI-driven interfaces, as well as the potential compression of the traditional distribution chain and the risk of disintermediation for established players.

Delivering measurable value to the industry

Central Asia Digital Aviation /26 once again demonstrated the importance of focused, region-specific platforms in addressing the operational and strategic challenges of aviation digitalization. By combining airline, airport, and technology perspectives within a single program, the event enabled a comprehensive, end-to-end view of digital transformation across the industry.

The conference concluded with an evening reception, providing additional opportunities for networking and partnership development in an informal setting.

As digitalization continues to redefine aviation economics and customer engagement, Central Asia Digital Aviation remains a key forum for aligning industry stakeholders around practical solutions and scalable strategies.

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