CHICAGO – Senior figures from the aviation industry are signing up in force to speak at this year's World Routes Strategy Summit which, held in partnership with ICAO and the World Bank, will take place alongside World Routes in Chicago, 20-23 September 2014.

Jim Compton, Vice Chairman & Chief Revenue Officer for Chicago-based United Airlines, will deliver the keynote address at this year's Summit, joined by Sir Tim Clark, President & CEO of Emirates, who also will have a keynote role at the Strategy Summit on 21st September.

Occurring on Sunday 21st and Monday 22nd September, the World Routes Strategy Summit is open to all attending delegates, The Strategy Summit will open the 20th World Route Development Forum which will take place in Chicago, Illinois, USA co-hosted by the City of Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and Choose Chicago, the city's tourism organization.

"In Chicago, we are known for 'making no small plans'. On behalf of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, we are thrilled to be the host of this prestigious event and we have ambitious plans to make it the biggest and best World Routes conference to date," said Rosemarie S. Andolino, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation who will open the Summit. "As a leading global city and as the birthplace of the International Civil Aviation Organization 70 years ago, Chicago is the ideal setting for the largest gathering of airline and airport officials from around the world. Attendees will have a unique opportunity to meet face-to-face with their peers, create new partnerships and establish new connections that will shape the future of the aviation industry."

"World Routes is a must-attend event for the industry and the Strategy Summit is the only forum where senior leaders and key stakeholders from aviation, tourism authorities and governments come together to participate in discussions that will set the commercial and political agenda for the industry," says Michael Miller, Head of Content & Industry Relations for Routes. "The great speakers and themes of the conference programmes reflect that."

The Strategy Summit will bring together senior leaders and key stakeholders from aviation, airports and tourism under one roof to participate in a number of discussions covering topics affecting the industry today such as route development, infrastructure, airport processing and security, sustainability, regulatory challenges and how new aircraft will alter route planning.

Other confirmed speakers at the Strategy Summit so far include Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines; Angela Gittens, Director General of ACI World; Antonio Miguel Marques CEO Sao Paulo – Guarulhos and Dr Sani Sener, CEO / Executive Board Member, TAV AIRPORTS HOLDING.

The 20th anniversary World Routes event will be held at Chicago's McCormick Place, the largest convention facility in the Western Hemisphere. With the most diverse economy in the United States, and home to several of the aviation industry's leading companies, Chicago makes the perfect home for the 20th World Route Development Forum.

For more information and to register for World Routes in Chicago visit www.routesonline.com.

About Routes

• Routes organizes world-renowned airline and airport networking events through its regional and global Route Development Forums. Each year, there is one global event and one regional event in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and CIS respectively.

• Routes was founded in 1995 as part of the Manchester UK‐based ASM Ltd., a consultancy specializing in the field of route development for airports. www.asm‐global.com. Routes and ASM are part of the UBM Live division of UBM plc.

• UBM Live connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote their brands and expand their markets. Through premiere brands such as MD&M, CPhI, IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show, the Routes portfolio of events, Airport Cities and many others, UBM Live exhibitions, conferences, awards programs, publications, websites and training and certification programs are an integral part of the marketing plans of companies across more than 20 industry sectors. http://www.ubmlive.com

Follow Routes on twitter: @Routesonline, @TheHUBRoutes, @VictoriaRoutes, @NLPROU, @airlineroute