FTE Communities to meet in Dallas for exclusive tours & meetings

The 20^th anniversary edition of FTE Global, taking place in Dallas, Texas, on 8 to 10 September 2026, will play host to our hugely popular FTE Communities meetings – the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub and the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group. Members of these working groups will come together as a community, to network and share ideas, visions and learnings on how the industry can improve its operations, strategies and collaboration. Attendees will engage with industry leaders and participate in exclusive tours and dynamic sessions focused on innovation, technology, and shaping the future of aviation.

See the FTE Global schedule at a glance >> Register for FTE Global >>

FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub Exclusive – Where Innovation Takes Flight: A Southwest Experience

Southwest Airlines – a Headline Partner of FTE Global – will host ‘Where Innovation Takes Flight: A Southwest Experience’. This exclusive event for Corporate Partners of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub takes place at Southwest Airlines’ LEAD Event Center on 8 September 2026 from 11:30 to 17:00. Attendees will get a behind-the-scenes look at how innovation and technology power one of the world’s most admired airlines.

The packed agenda includes:

A networking lunch.
An exclusive behind‑the‑scenes tour of Southwest’s newly renovated Network Operations Control (NOC) and Flight Training Simulators. See where real‑time decisions and cutting‑edge technology keep the Southwest operation running smoothly and get a sneak peek inside its state‑of‑the‑art pilot training simulators.
An FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub meeting featuring unmissable presentations from Lauren Woods, Executive Vice President & Chief Information Officer, Southwest Airlines, and Justin Bundick, Vice President, Artificial Intelligence & Intelligence Platforms, Southwest Airlines, interactive discussions and more.

This promises to provide an unparalleled opportunity to learn how people, technology, and culture come together to drive operational excellence at scale.

Learn more about the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub >> Register for FTE Global >>

FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group meeting and exclusive behind-the-scenes airport operations tour at DFW

Members of the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group (BIWG) will experience an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). Taking place on 8 September 2026 from 13:00-15:00, this special session will provide an in-depth look at how one of the world’s busiest airports manages complex operations while driving innovation across the airside environment. Attendees will experience:

A live SWAT demonstration showcasing specialised capabilities and tactical response operations.
A first-hand overview of how DFW manages real-time airport operations.
A guided visit of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
A bus tour of key airport facilities, including the ARFF (Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting) complex and Terminal F construction site.

The tour will be followed by an FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group meeting from 15:30 to 17:30, bringing together baggage leaders from across the industry to discuss shared challenges, emerging technologies and collaborative opportunities. The packed meeting agenda features:

A presentation by Paul Drury, Vice President, Product Development & Innovation, DFW and Tony Tomazic, AVP Enterprise Innovation, DFW.
International to domestic baggage trials updates: A presentation by Lance Farquharson, Customs and Border Protection Officer Program Manager, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Cliff Burchfield, Business Development Executive, Brock Solutions.
A presentation by Wade Timchuk, Global Business Development, Brock Solutions.
A series of robotics presentations by Roman Kaiser, CEO, AAT Automation; John Stroud, COO, Azalea Robotics; Henrik Elm Gullov, CEO, Cobot Lift and Reeg Allen, Founder & CEO, Journey Robotics.
IATA updates from Getnet Taye, Senior Manager: Global Baggage Operations & Innovation, IATA.

Learn more about the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group >> Register for FTE Global >>

FTE Smart Ramp member meeting

Following the launch of the landmark White Paper, Smart Ramp ConOps: The Future of Aircraft Turnaround, at the APEX FTE EMEA and Ancillary & Retailing event in Dublin in June 2026, members of the FTE Smart Ramp community will reunite at FTE Global to continue advancing the future of aircraft turnaround operations. The meeting will build on the collaborative work already underway, bringing together airlines, airports and industry partners to share progress, explore new opportunities, and help shape safer, smarter, more efficient and more sustainable ramp operations.

See the FTE Global schedule at a glance >> Register for FTE Global >>