From 2 to 5 November 2026, aviation trade union representatives from across Europe gathered in Brussels for the governance meetings of the ETF Civil Aviation Section. We kicked off the week with the Steering Committee, followed by meetings of the Joint Aircrew (JAC), Air Traffic Management (ATMC) and Ground Staff (GSC) Committees. We continued with the Civil Aviation Section meeting on Wednesday, focusing on horizontal priorities affecting workers across the aviation sector, and concluded the week on Thursday with the annual plenary of the European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for Civil Aviation.

Urban Public Transport (UPT) is a critical sector for Europe, employing more than 2 million people and providing a vital and fundamental public service. Without UPT, European cities would grind to a halt and hundreds of millions of Europeans would not be able to effectively reach work, education and leisure. However, for historical reasons this essential sector has not enjoyed the full rights within the structures of European Social Dialogue, being merely a working group under the Road Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee. This is despite the fact that UPT faces massive challenges and changes, from the labour shortage to underfunding to the need to decarbonise vehicle fleets, alongside many others.

Vienna Airport has once again been named Europe’s Best Ground Handler at the 2026 Payload Asia Awards. This is the third time it has received the distinction, following previous awards in 2022 and 2025.