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EN
On 11-12 May 2004 the International Air Transport Conference “Open Skies over Europe - Recent and Future Challenges in EU Air Transport Market" accompanying the AIRPORT EXPO 2004 Fairs took place on the International Gdansk Fairs exhibition grounds.
The conference was devoted to the consequences of the enlargement of the European air transport market, market liberalisation and the effects of this process on the operation of the PLL LOT airlines and other Polish carriers. Participants in the debate included Prof. Heinz Ruhnau, a former long-time President of Lufthansa, Krzysztof Kapis, the President of the Board of Civil Aviation, Marek Grabarek, the President of PLL LOT company as well as other acknowledged Polish and international experts in the field of air transport.
Also President Lech Walesa participated in the debate about the changes on the European air transport market. Issues related to low-cost carriers - both those entering the Polish market and those which already operate in the EU airspace - were discussed, too. Speakers included Jan Litwinski, Air Polonia President, and Jacek Szkurlat, Wizz Air Sales Manager.
The conference ended with a series of lectures devoted to the development prospects of the air transport market with special focus on Central Europe and the Baltic Sea region.