The 8th edition of inter airport Southeast Asia (IASEA) was held in Singapore from 25-27 March 2025. Spanning across 6,259 sqm of exhibition space, the airport exhibition and conference brought together 3,621 industry trade professionals from 53 countries and regions, and featured 134 exhibiting companies including pavilions representing Germany, Italy, Japan and Singapore.
The event saw a 43% increase in exhibitor size and a 15.6% rise in attendee numbers, underscoring the rising significance of IASEA as a platform for productive discussions. The event’s achievement is also attributed to the increasing demands of operators and the rapid development and expansion of airports in Asia.
The landmark event in Asia featuring the latest innovations and solutions for airports
IASEA serves as the dedicated event for airports, airlines, aviation authorities, ground handlers and related business executives in Asia to learn about and experience the latest products, services and technologies, for the future development of Asia’s airports.
One of the highlights of this year’s edition was the presence of a delegation of leaders from major international airports in Vietnam, including Long Thanh International Airport—one of the world’s most expensive greenfield airport projects—Noi Bai Airport, Danang Airport, Cat Bi Airport, Phu Quoc Airport, and Cam Ranh International Terminal.
One of Airports Corporation of Vietnam’s (ACV) primary objectives in the coming years is the successful completion and operation of Long Thanh International Airport. Under the direction of the Prime Minister of Vietnam, the presence of ACV’s delegation at IASEA 2025 was to seek high-quality solutions and potential partners for this airport. Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong, Deputy General Director, Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), shared during his opening remarks, “Vietnam, as one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world, is actively developing key airport infrastructure projects to meet the increasing demand for air transport. This event is not only an opportunity to explore the latest advancements in aviation technology but also serves as a platform for collaboration and exchange, fostering stronger partnerships to enhance airport infrastructure across Southeast Asia.”
First-time exhibitor Thales participated to expand business opportunities with regional aviation players and introduce solutions such as its latest Fly-to-Gate biometrics solution that enables a touchless, fast, and easy passenger journey from check-in to boarding.
Thales commented, “Air traffic has fully recovered since the pandemic years. The increase of major projects and the prioritisation of data (data management, data sharing, data security) from airport decision-makers have grown vastly within the industry. At Thales, we recognise that data will improve efficiency in airport operations – namely terminal operations, aircraft turnaround, passenger flow – beyond what hardware can achieve. However, these advancements also come with challenges, including cybersecurity and leveraging data while keeping airport operations human-centric. Our participation at the conference and exhibition of IASEA 2025 allowed us to connect and engage in discussions with several airport and aviation representatives. We were also able to share Thales’ expertise in airport operations and security, cybersecurity resilience, and biometric solutions, all for a seamless passenger experience.”
Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and security screening technologies, introduced the SDX 10060 XDi to the Asia market – a leading-edge X-ray scanner that offers highly accurate material discrimination and substance identification based on an object’s molecular structure. “We are glad to be back at IASEA, a key platform for us to showcase our latest solutions and connect with both customers and prospects because the show attracts aviation leaders from across the region,” said Desmond Lian, Senior Solutions Consultant, Smiths Detection (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd. “It was especially meaningful to reconnect with major airports such as Narita International Airport Corporation, as we discuss each other’s long-term plans and areas of collaboration. Such conversations make me hopeful for stronger integration of AI and security systems across the air and land side of the aviation industry. I hope to see the development of an architecture platform where different industry players can share and communicate data, and tackle cybersecurity issues as an ecosystem.”
Additionally, Mallaghan, one of the fastest-growing airport Ground Support Equipment (GSE) manufacturers (headquartered in Ireland and with a worldwide presence), returned to the 8th edition of IASEA 2025. Niall Mallaghan, Director at Mallaghan, shared, “IASEA has always been one of our go-to exhibitions for the Asia Pacific region because of the opportunities to meet leading suppliers and our customers such as dnata and SATS. While the industry traditionally relied on diesel-powered GSE, Mallaghan, together other industry leaders, have recognised the impact of electrifying ground handling equipment as an effective route towards greener aviation. At Mallaghan, we strive to enable airports to reach their sustainability goals by working closely with the ground handlers.”
Conversations that focused on resilient, data-driven airports
In line with this year’s theme, “Airport Operations for Tomorrow”, the conference and exhibition floor saw timely conversations on the use of technology – more specifically, data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) – to drive resilient airports of tomorrow.
“With the ever-increasing complexities of running an airport, the chances of something going awry also rise significantly. Thus, keeping airport operations resilient is paramount,” said David Jea, GM, Safety, Security & Business Continuity, Airport Authority Hong Kong. “As a conference speaker of this year’s IASEA, I’m thankful for the opportunity to engage with peers on aviation security, and the exposure to the full range of innovations for airport operations, with my greatest harvest being the appreciation of technology for optimised operations. The airports of tomorrow necessitate industry players to use AI and other technologies effectively, ensuring the solutions adopted are advanced and secure, workers are trained with more proficient skill sets, and the industry continues to attract professionals.”
As of 2024, Asia Pacific holds over 40% of the global aircraft orders, signifying a strong focus on fleet investment and renewal for the region.
Ensuring airports keep up with this projected regional growth, the panel titled ‘Using Data Analytics to Optimise Airport Operations’ dived into the challenges and opportunities of harnessing data analytics to drive innovation and ensure sustainable growth in airport operations. Industry leaders acknowledged that airports typically generate a wealth of live data that can help to enhance the passenger experience. However, a core challenge is in utilising this data – the industry is looking to integrate all data on a single system for real-time processing, while ensuring security measures are in place in the face of cyber threats.
Separately, on the ground handling side, the conference panel ‘Boosting Operational Resilience: Preparing for the Unexpected’ gave a comprehensive overview of how ground handling teams can build robust operations that withstand unforeseen challenges of equipment failures, staffing shortages, and extreme weather. Panellists emphasised the role of ground handlers in adapting to unique equipment and processes deployed across individual airports. Disruptions can come in many forms. Hence, it is imperative for the ground handlers to work closely with the airports (with diverse teams across different airports) to analyse big data, address the disruption, and re-instil confidence in passengers.
