Tech executives ‍preparing to attend next week’s Web Summit in Lisbon are‌ encountering unexpected logistical hurdles: a‌ notable shortage of ⁣landing slots for private aircraft. ‌Organizers alerted speakers on Wednesday,‌ November 1, 2023, to the limited availability at Lisbon Airport, which is currently ⁣struggling to accommodate the‌ increased demand.

Airport Capacity Strained

The situation⁣ is impacting those traveling with larger ⁣private planes most acutely. Some⁤ attendees have discovered that the only available⁢ landing slots during the⁤ conference⁢ period are‍ located over two hours away from Lisbon, with some options extending into Spain. This highlights the growing⁢ strain on European airport infrastructure as demand for air travel rebounds.

High-Profile Speakers Affected

Several prominent tech leaders are scheduled to speak at the annual⁢ Web summit, including‌ Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, Lyft⁤ CEO David‍ Risher, ‍and Microsoft President ‌Brad Smith. The organizers have emphasized that the ⁣landing slot limitations are⁢ beyond their control and have apologized for their inability to secure additional access.

Commercial ​Travel Recommended

In ‌light of the challenges,Web‍ Summit organizers are advising speakers to opt for commercial flights. Lisbon’s main⁢ airport is conveniently located just a 15-minute drive from the conference venue, offering a more reliable travel option. This situation underscores the potential​ difficulties even high-profile attendees can face when ​relying on private air‍ travel during peak ⁣event periods.