APEX FTE EMEA 10-12 June 2025, Dublin

APEX FTE EMEA Conference

Benchmark your organisation’s innovation levels against the industry’s best.

FTE conferences deliver a memorable learning experience by providing progressive insights from industry leaders, technology giants, disruptors, parallel industries, academia and startups. We run plenary sessions to provide outside-the-box thinking and inspiration on the future, and also hone in on the most pertinent topics and areas of interest. Our sessions utilise diverse formats ranging from case studies and panel sessions to co-creation roundtables and elevator pitches.

You can expect the conferences to cover innovation efforts around digital transformation, customer experience, commercial revenues, inflight innovation, operational efficiency, future airports and sustainability.

View the APEX FTE EMEA Agenda >>

View the Ancillary & Retailing Agenda >>

APEX FTE EMEA Conference Agenda 2025


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Tuesday 10th June 2025

Tuesday 10th June 14:00 - 16:00

FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group meeting (members only)

Baggage innovation group meeting

The FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group (BIWG) brings together the most innovative and progressive baggage supply chain companies, airlines, and airports from across the industry to provide a unique platform for cooperation and industry advancement. It is the platform for developing new techniques, technologies, and business models to deliver tangible change in the baggage sector. There are over 130 BIWG members, all playing an active role in the industry’s leading learning and networking platform for those serious about baggage transformation. Topics to be covered in this meeting include AI and GenerativeAI, plus an exclusive update on the BOOST programme.

This meeting is open exclusively to members of the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group.

Hosted by:

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Tuesday 10th June 14:00 - 17:00

FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub meeting (Corporate Partners only)

In this members-only FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub meeting, our Corporate Partners can expect keynotes, interactive discussions, and quick-fire pitches from a selection of pioneering startups, plus plenty of opportunities to network with fellow innovators. The FTE Hub is a truly unique community, designed specifically for the individuals and organisations who are at the forefront of digital transformation and innovation in the aviation industry. Members openly share expertise, experiences and inspiration year-round through curated virtual and in-person meet-ups.

This meeting is open exclusively to Corporate Partners of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub.

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Tuesday 10th June 16:00 - 18:00

City of Dublin Walking Tour

Brought to you by passenger disruption experts:

At FTE we pride ourselves on providing the very best in networking events; enabling our guests to unwind and connect with like-minded industry peers in a relaxed environment. To support this ambition, we have teamed up with passenger disruption experts Plan3, to invite attendees to join them on Tuesday 10 June for a City of Dublin walking tour.

Enjoy a local taste of Dublin in this two-hour guided tour of the historical and cultural sights of this beautiful city, before joining your fellow FTE Dublin attendees at the FTE Dublin Ice Breaker at Brewdog, Dublin Outpost.

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Tuesday 10th June 18:00 - 20:00

The FTE Dublin Ice Breaker at BrewDog, Dublin Outpost

To kick off the show we invite delegates to join us at BrewDog, Dublin Outpost! A first opportunity to meet with your fellow FTE attendees and connect with industry colleagues both new and established. Featuring delicious brews from BrewDog, a mouth-watering menu and live music from local talents; whether you’re a craft beer enthusiast, a music lover, or just looking to recharge after a long flight, we invite you to grab a cold drink, play some bar games, and enjoy the fantastic views of the River Liffey. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and start the conference on a high note!

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Wednesday 11th June 2025

Wednesday 11th June 08:00 - 09:00

FTE World Ancillary & Retailing Working Group members’ networking breakfast (members only)

This members-only breakfast session, taking place at the RDS, is open exclusively to members of the FTE World Ancillary & Retailing Working Group.

Join the FTE World Ancillary & Retailing Working Group >>

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08:30 - 09:00

Show opening and VIP tour of exclusive unveilings on the exhibition floor, plus networking & coffee

Wednesday 11th June 09:00 - 09:30

Opening Keynote Session (joint session for all attendees)

Welcome Addresses:
Daniel Coleman

CEO & Founder

Future Travel Experience

Dr. Joe Leader

CEO

APEX/IFSA

Exciting keynote speaker to be announced soon!

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Wednesday 11th June 09:35 - 10:30

AI, Innovation & Digital Transformation Excellence

Format:

Each speaker will deliver a 15-minute presentation before the session moves into an interactive panel discussion where all participants will share their views on how industry stakeholders should navigate the tech landscape.

Moderator:
Andrew Price

Aviation Consultant

Opermium

Speakers:

How daa Labs is embracing innovation to enhance CX and operations

Ruairí Kell

Head of Innovation

daa Labs

Turkish Airlines’ ambition is to rank among the top three global airlines for digital passenger experience. What are the key elements of the airline’s strategy for achieving this objective – from AI, biometrics and connectivity to an all-encompassing mobile-first experience?

Hakan Sögüt

SVP Customer Solutions

Turkish Airlines Technology

Driving innovation via Agentic AI technologies, strategies, policies and implementation

Dr Martin Crilly

Chief Architect - dnata

Emirates

( speaker Invited)
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10:30 - 11:30

Refreshment break in the exhibition hall

Wednesday 11th June 11:30 - 11:50

Special Keynote (joint session for all attendees)

How is Booking.com tapping into the power of AI and what can airlines, airports and their partners learn from this approach?

Austin Sheppard

VP Engineering for Trips

Booking.com

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Wednesday 11th June 11:55 - 12:30

FTE EMEA Innovate Awards Pitch Session: Best New CX Concept

Option 1

At the epicentre of this show is the region’s largest and most respected innovation competition. Industry stakeholders will pitch on-stage in an effort to impress our judges and audience, whose all-important votes will dictate who wins.

Each finalist will deliver a five-minute pitch, followed by quickfire questions and comments from the judges. 

The finalists will be revealed in the coming days. 

Format:

Five-minute pitch from each finalist, followed by quick-fire questions and comments from the judges.

Judging Panel:
Kevin Kleist

Head of Emerging Trends

Southwest Airlines

Rahel de Vriend

Head of Innovation Research & Scouting

TNW Programs

Javed Malik

Former COO, AirAsia Group; former COO, BLR Airport; and Founder

Bytes not Bricks

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Wednesday 11th June 11:55 - 13:00

The FTE EMEA Baggage Innovation Summit: How can we collaboratively bring new innovations to life to enhance baggage delivery in the very near future?

Option 2

Format:

Following a scene-setting introduction by the moderator, the panellists will participate in a fast-paced and interactive discussion.

Moderator:
Darin Juby

Head of Transformation

Future Travel Experience

Panellists:
Yorick Buys

Head of Baggage

Brussels Airport

Bjørn Hjelle

Chief Technology Officer

BagID

Pablo Lopez Loeches

Head of Ideation & Entrepreneurship

Aena

More speakers to be announced soon.

Topics to consider:
  • Engaging with startups, POCs and scaling
  • What are the biggest barriers to entry and how can we, as an industry, overcome them?
  • Funding (CAPEX/OPEX) – should the costs be shared between airports and airlines?
  • What are the main safety and regulatory considerations here, and how should we address these?
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Wednesday 11th June 12:30 - 13:00

Special presentation

Option 1

The ‘Airports for Innovation’ network launched by Aeroporti di Roma (ADR) now includes 10 leading airports worldwide, who test and implement a variety of cutting-edge solutions simultaneously. What are the key results to date, and what are the main takeaways from the first joint ‘Call for Startups’?

Giovanni Gennaro

Head of Open Innovation

Aeroporti di Roma

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13:00 - 14:30

Lunch break in the exhibition hall

Wednesday 11th June 13:15 - 14:15

Startup Pitch Session

The APEX FTE EMEA, Ancillary & Retailing Startup Pitch Session will provide a platform for high-potential startups to showcase their products and services that have been developed to enhance the customer experience, operational efficiency and commercial performance.

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Wednesday 11th June 14:30 - 15:30

Laying the foundations for an automated future – insights from industry pioneers

Format:

Each speaker will deliver a 15-minute presentation, before the moderator leads an interactive panel discussion.

Moderator:
Ryan Ghee

Chief Operating Officer

Future Travel Experience

Speakers:

How is Royal Schiphol Group progressing with its ambitious plans to make AMS an autonomous airport by 2050, and what has it achieved already?

Silvia Rey Abeijón

Innovator, Innovation Hub

Royal Schiphol Group

What does IAG’s journey to autonomous operations look like, what lessons have been learned so far, and what are the biggest challenges that must be overcome to make this a reality?

Harvey Tate
Harvey Tate

Senior Manager Airport Automation

International Airlines Group (IAG)

( speaker Invited)

The journey to autonomous operations: building the right foundations

Asteris Apostolidis

Senior Lead, Technical Innovation & Emerging Technologies

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

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15:30 - 16:30

Refreshment break in the exhibition hall

Wednesday 11th June 16:30 - 17:30

EXCLUSIVE DEEP DIVE: Day 1 Closing Keynote Session (joint session for all attendees)

Wednesday 11th June 17:30 - 18:45

Networking Reception & FTE and APEX Awards Ceremony

Make the most of the vital networking opportunities provided at the FTE Dublin Networking Reception, where delegates can enjoy demonstrations in the exhibition and network with their peers over drinks before our Awards ceremony.

It has been a time of real transformation across the industry, and we will honour and recognise those efforts in Dublin. 15 airlines and 15 airports will be shortlisted for the FTE World Ancillary & Retailing Awards 2025, with three in each category being honoured for outstanding achievement during the ceremony. We will also celebrate the members of the 2025 FTE EMEA Airline and Airport Power Lists.

Following this, the APEX Best in Airline Awards ceremony will take place, recognising airlines for their outstanding CX efforts.

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Wednesday 11th June 21:00 - 23:00

Summer in Dublin Travel Massive Meet Up

The Travel Massive Dublin Chapter invites FTE delegates to attend a meet-up in the iconic watering hole, Café En Seine. The “Summer in Dublin” informal social event is the perfect opportunity to continue your conference networking and connect with the local travel community. The not-for-profit Travel Massive Dublin has been hosting free-to-attend social events, insightful interviews, educational panels, and generally supporting the travel industry in Ireland since October 2013.

Co-hosted by:

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Thursday 12th June 2025

08:30 - 08:30

Registration & Exhibition Opens

Thursday 12th June 09:00 - 09:30

Day 2 Opening Keynote (joint session for all attendees)

Thursday 12th June 09:35 - 10:30

FTE EMEA Innovate Awards Pitch Session: Most Innovative Airline Initiative

At the epicentre of this show is the region’s largest and most respected innovation competition. Industry stakeholders will pitch on-stage in an effort to impress our judges and audience, whose all-important votes will dictate who wins.

Each finalist will deliver a five-minute pitch, followed by quickfire questions and comments from the judges. 

The finalists will be revealed in the coming days. 

Format:

Five-minute pitch from each finalist, followed by quick-fire questions and comments from the judges.

Judging Panel:
Kevin Kleist

Head of Emerging Trends

Southwest Airlines

Rahel de Vriend

Head of Innovation Research & Scouting

TNW Programs

Javed Malik

Former COO, AirAsia Group; former COO, BLR Airport; and Founder

Bytes not Bricks

Register now >>
10:30 - 11:30

Refreshment break in the exhibition hall

Thursday 12th June 11:30 - 12:45

Creating truly unique and memorable customer experiences – inspiration from across the globe

Option 1

Format:

Following a scene-setting presentation, the moderator will lead an interactive panel discussion.

Moderator:
Ross Falconer

Head of Content

Future Travel Experience

Scene-setting presentation:

688 projects in three years: How Riyadh Airports Company’s innovative ‘BRIDGE’ programme is redefining the customer experience at King Khalid International Airport

Nawaf A. Alzadjali

Senior Director – Customer Experience

Riyadh Airports Company

Panellists:
Eric Pateman

Vice President, Passenger Experience and Chief Experience Officer

Vancouver Airport Authority

Enda Kavanagh

Product Manager (Inflight Customer Experience)

Aer Lingus

Victoria Schuster

Vice President Customer Experience Program

Lufthansa

( speaker Invited)
Emanuele Calà

Vice President Innovation & Quality

Aeroporti di Roma

( speaker Invited)
Questions to consider:
  • How can you find the right balance between technology and the human touch?
  • How can you ensure that all departments and employees buy into your CX vision and successfully support your CX goals?
  • How can the industry make better use of data to enhance the end-to-end customer experience?
  • How can all stakeholders work together more effectively to support the shared ambition of creating a smooth and memorable travel experience?
  • What can the aviation industry learn from other industries with regards to CX?
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Thursday 12th June 11:30 - 12:45

Innovative approaches to minimising the impact of disruption

Option 2

Moderator:
Dr. Joe Leader

CEO

APEX/IFSA

The full speaker line-up for this session will be revealed soon!

Questions to consider:
  • How can we all make better use of technology to support customers when they experience disruption?
  • How can we better empower customers during disruption events?
  • How can stakeholders work together more effectively to help minimise the impact and knock-on effects of disruption?
  • Can the industry be more pro-active in identifying and preventing some disruption events before they occur? If so, how?
  • How can you find the right balance between technology and the human touch when dealing with disruption events?
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12:45 - 13:45

Lunch break in the exhibition hall

Thursday 12th June 13:00 - 13:30

FTE Communities Captains Briefing

Hear about the latest developments from across the FTE Communities – FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub, FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group, and FTE World Ancillary & Retailing Working Group.

Speakers:
Darin Juby

Head of Transformation

Future Travel Experience

Kevin Kleist

Head of Emerging Trends

Southwest Airlines

Albert Jan Prevoo

Director Innovation (Travel Retail)

nlmtd

Register now >>
Thursday 12th June 13:45 - 15:10

FTE EMEA Innovate Awards Pitch Session: Most Innovative Airport Initiative

At the epicentre of this show is the region’s largest and most respected innovation competition. Industry stakeholders will pitch on-stage in an effort to impress our judges and audience, whose all-important votes will dictate who wins.

Each finalist will deliver a five-minute pitch, followed by quickfire questions and comments from the judges. 

The finalists will be revealed in the coming days. 

Format:

Five-minute pitch from each finalist, followed by quick-fire questions and comments from the judges.

Judging Panel:
Kevin Kleist

Head of Emerging Trends

Southwest Airlines

Rahel de Vriend

Head of Innovation Research & Scouting

TNW Programs

Javed Malik

Former COO, AirAsia Group; former COO, BLR Airport; and Founder

Bytes not Bricks

Register now >>
15:10 - 15:45

Refreshment break in the exhibition hall

Thursday 12th June 15:45 - 17:00

Closing Keynote, FTE EMEA Innovate Awards Ceremony & Farewell Drink

All attendees will come together one final time for the closing keynote session, featuring an inspirational panel of industry leaders who will share their expert insights on CX, innovation, digital transformation, and future opportunities and challenges for the industry.

We will then wrap up three days of learning, networking and inspiration by inviting all attendees to relax and enjoy a farewell drink and see who comes out top in the FTE EMEA Innovate Awards 2025.

During the past two days, attendees will have heard from a variety of industry stakeholders, each pitching on stage in an effort to impress our judges and their fellow aviation peers. Join us as we see the region’s largest and most respected innovation competition come to a close. The all-important audience votes will be tallied, and we will announce and celebrate our FTE EMEA Innovate Awards 2025 winners.

Register now >>

Register today – Free for airlines and low-cost for airports

See registration options Register now