The FTE APEX Business Model Transformation Think Tank – our most ambitious Think Tank to date – explored and identified how airlines, airports and their partners can embrace new approaches and collaborate more closely to solve long-running industry challenges that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. The two phases of the Think Tank are available to watch below:
Phase 1: Identifying industry challenges
The key recommendations from the FTE APEX Business Model Transformation Think Tank – our most ambitious Think Tank to date – were unveiled during FTE APEX Virtual Expo, which took place on 8-9 December 2020. The FTE APEX Business Model Transformation Think Tank explored and identified how airlines, airports and their partners can embrace new approaches and collaborate more closely to solve long-running industry challenges and frustrations that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. Reducing cost bases, improving processes, and creating new revenue-generating opportunities throughout the end-to-end air travel experience were among the core areas of focus.
The Think Tank team, consisting of a selection of industry experts, considered what airports, airlines and their partners can do differently going forward to help drive a faster and stronger recovery for all. Together they shared a vision for redefining two key areas of the travel experience: the way passengers purchase and consume food & beverage (f&b), and providing passengers with a reliable and seamless end-to-end baggage experience.
The first instalment of the FTE APEX Business Model Transformation Think Tank was co-created by:
- Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Strategy & Development Officer, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL)
- Javed Malik, Group COO, AirAsia
- Christina Cassotis, CEO, Pittsburgh International Airport
- Juha Jarvinen, CCO, Virgin Atlantic and President Emeritus, APEX
- Robert Carey, CCO, easyJet
Phase 2: Delivering tangible solutions
Phase 2 of the FTE APEX Business Model Transformation Think Tank was presented during the second FTE APEX Virtual Expo 2021, which took place in May 2021, bringing together senior experts from across the industry to share some tangible solutions that can help to improve the passenger experience and generate new revenues.
Building on the first instalment, the Think Tank members reconvened before and during Virtual Expo 2021 to build on the initial ideas, share their latest progress and offer insight into their further evolved thinking around these ideas. Watch the above video or read this article for the key takeaways from the discussion.
Future Travel Experience is committed to building upon this ground-breaking project in the coming years. We will continue delivering a series of proof of concept projects – like our Baggage Innovation Working Groups, launched as a result of the Think Tank discussions – running between stakeholders around the world proving the viability of this approach.
