2025 was a breakthrough year for the FTE Communities, now uniting 800+ organisations across the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub, the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group, the FTE World Ancillary & Retailing Working Group, and our FTE ACE (Accelerating Collaboration & Engagement) platform. Together, these groups have shown that when airlines, airports, vendors and startups collaborate openly, rather than working in silos, progress happens faster and at a far greater scale.
ACE plays a pivotal role in this, moving the industry from knowledge-sharing into challenge-based innovation, real-world testing and shared opportunities, giving rise to major cross-industry programmes such as BOOST and Smart Ramp. Too often our industry tries to solve problems alone, but our Communities prove that by uniting stakeholders to share visions and learnings, we move further, faster, together.
If your organisation wants to help shape the next era of air transport, now is the perfect time to get involved. Below are the standout moments from 2025 and a look at what’s coming in 2026.
A recap of 2025
2025 was a highly active year across the FTE Communities, with members participating in a wide range of meetings, technical tours and collaborative sessions around the world. Highlights included an immersive gathering at Meta’s Singapore office, where members explored extended reality (XR) applications through keynotes, case studies and hands-on demonstrations. In Dublin, Hub members spent a day at Microsoft examining practical AI adoption and real-world use cases presented by high-growth startups, while BIWG members combined a tour of the Amazon Fulfilment Centre with a session at AWS’ EMEA HQ focused on the Airports AI Alliance and emerging GenAI applications for airport and baggage environments.
The year also included several significant behind-the-scenes technical visits. BIWG members toured Amsterdam Airport Schiphol for a detailed look at more than a decade of robotics development in baggage handling, while a joint Hub/BIWG meeting in Madrid, hosted by Iberia and Aena, provided rare access to Iberia’s MRO facilities. Ahead of FTE Global, Hub Corporate Partners visited The Boring Company’s operational Loop system beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center and toured AREA15 to explore how immersive design concepts are influencing experience-led environments.
Operational excellence remained a strong theme, with Orlando International Airport hosting members for tours of the new ICS, the Remote Screening Facility, the original baggage system and Terminal C. Members also visited Oceaneering’s production campus to see demonstrations of autonomous vehicles and robotics used in airports and other complex settings. Meanwhile, the BOOST programme progressed multiple Proof of Concepts across Schiphol, Avinor, Brussels Airport, Heathrow and Incheon, and published a White Paper outlining shared priorities for safer and more automated baggage operations. Smart Ramp continued its collaborative work on turnaround modernisation, with partners such as IAG, Miami International Airport, ANA, Royal Schiphol Group, KLM and MWAA sharing insights from testing and analysis across the year.
Throughout 2025, the Communities also engaged extensively with startups and held a variety of networking activities, from informal gatherings to group dinners and a community golf event, helping to foster relationships and support collaboration beyond the formal programme.
What’s next and the full schedule of virtual and in-person meetings in Orlando, London, Dublin, Dallas & Singapore
Building on the foundations laid throughout 2025, each of our Communities is now aligned around clear priorities designed to accelerate industry-wide transformation in the year ahead. 2026 will see expanded membership, maturing Proof of Concepts, and a growing ecosystem of partners across airlines, airports, technology providers, handlers and startups.
Below is an overview of what lies ahead across the Communities:
FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub
The FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub continues to grow, with more than 50 Corporate Partners and over 500 startup members now participating. Recent additions include Denver Airport, Fraport, SkyTeam, Alaska Airlines, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Vancouver Airport and Gerald R. Ford Airport.
In 2026, the Hub will continue to explore developments in AI, robotics, IoT and related digital technologies. Confirmed member meetings for the year include sessions in:
- Las Vegas, alongside CES 2026
- London, hosted by Heathrow Airport
- Dallas, hosted by Southwest Airlines and co-located with FTE Global
- Singapore (co-located with APEX FTE Expo Asia)
These meetings will provide a forum for sharing new case studies, examining practical applications, and exchanging learnings across the group.
Find out more about the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub >>FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group (BIWG)
BIWG enters 2026 with several Proof of Concepts already underway, including the deployment of BagsID imaging technology and ongoing BOOST PoCs across multiple airports. New PoCs focused on bag classification and next-generation loading technologies are also in development.
The Group’s work over the next year will continue to focus on areas such as baggage tracking and tagging; robotics and automation; AI and agentic AI; integration of new products and tools into daily airport operations. Confirmed 2026 meetings include:
- Orlando (hosted by Greater Orlando Airport Authority)
- London (hosted by Heathrow Airport)
- Dallas (co-located with FTE Global)
- Singapore (co-located with APEX FTE Expo Asia)
FTE World Ancillary & Retailing Working Group (WARWG)
Now involving more than 400 organisations globally, the WARWG will concentrate in 2026 on developing a playbook addressing how the sector can better collaborate to expand non-aero and inflight revenue opportunities.
The next in-person meeting is scheduled for June in Dublin, aligned with FTE Ancillary & Retailing.
Find out more about the FTE World Ancillary & Retailing Working Group (WARWG) >>
Smart Ramp & BOOST Programmes
In 2026, Smart Ramp and BOOST will play a central role in shaping the next phase of autonomous, efficient and safer ramp and baggage operations.
BOOST will continue advancing new Proof of Concepts across leading airports, with a growing emphasis on automation, ergonomics and integrating emerging technologies into day-to-day baggage processes. Confirmed member-meetings include Dublin in June alongside the APEX FTE EMEA event.
Smart Ramp will expand its membership & cross-industry collaboration under the ACE platform, supporting airlines, airports and handlers as they modernise turnaround operations and adopt next-generation tools and workflows. Confirmed member-meetings include Amsterdam on January 20-22, London on March 16, Dublin on June 9 alongside FTE EMEA & Dallas on Sept 8th alongside FTE Global.
Both programmes will converge at the FTE Smart Ramp & Baggage Innovation Summit, creating a dedicated platform for sharing progress, accelerating innovation, and defining the future of ramp and baggage transformation together. This brand-new event, taking place alongside APEX FTE EMEA and Ancillary & Retailing in Dublin on 9-11 June 2026, unites airlines, airports, ground handlers, manufacturers, and solution providers to collaborate on one shared goal: creating safer, smarter, and more efficient ramp & baggage operations through innovation, automation, and cross industry partnership. Find out more about the Smart Ramp & Baggage Innovation Summit here >>
