The Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) has finalised the airline industry leaders who will speak at their upcoming APEX/IFSA Global EXPO from 28 to 30 October 2024 at Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Centre, Long Beach, California. Co-located with International Flight Services Association (IFSA) and Future Travel Experience (FTE), APEX/IFSA Global EXPO spans end-to-end passenger experience, both in air and on the ground.

The speakers are experts in customer experience, fleet management, accessibility, and product innovation from internationally renowned flag carriers, who will share their expertise and predictions for the future through the event’s sessions and panels.

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As a global non-profit and one of the world’s largest international airline associations, APEX advances passenger experience with the backing of nearly every major airline and valued supplier over the past 42 years.  In conjunction with both the International Flight Services Association (IFSA) and Future Travel Experience (FTE), APEX serves the full spectrum of the end-to-end travel experience. APEX reinvests all its resources to serving its members, strengthening the worldwide airline industry, advancing thought-leadership, fostering business opportunities via events, developing global initiatives, setting key airline standards, and highlighting well-deserved recognition across our industry.

The International Flight Services Association (IFSA) is a global professional association serving the needs and interests of airline and railway personnel, caterers and suppliers who provide onboard services on regularly scheduled travel routes. Under the umbrella of APEX (Airline Passenger Experience Association) serving every major airline in the world, IFSA is dedicated to the advancement of the art and science of the multi- billion dollar inflight and railway onboard service industry.

Confirmed Speakers at the event:

Benjamin Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Air France-KLM
Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer, Air Canada
Shai Weiss, Chief Executive Officer, Virgin Atlantic
Con Korfiatis, Chief Executive Officer, Oman Air
Andre Viljoen, Managing Director and CEO, Fiji Airways
Alex Wilcox, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, JSX
Matthew Klein, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Spirit Airlines
Fiona Kiesel, Chief Guest Officer, Breeze Airways
Rossen Dimitrov, Chief Guest Experience Officer, Saudia
Oren Cohen Butansky, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Experience Officer, EL AL
Paul Verhagen, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, SAS
Perry Cantarutti, Senior Vice President of Alliances, Delta Air Lines
Xia Cai, SVP Product Development & Design, Qatar Airways
Patrick Brannelly, Senior Vice President – Retail, IFE, Connectivity, Emirates
Fabien Pelous, Senior Vice President Customer Experience, Air France
Bobby Schroeter, Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer, Frontier Airlines
Mustafa Mucahitoglu, Vice President – Customer Experience, Turkish Airlines
Antonio Fernandez, Vice President – Product and Onboard Services, Aeroméxico
Anton Vidgen, Vice President – Guest Experience, Riyadh Air
Rick Salanitri, President, Delta Flight Products
Tyler Anderson, Product Innovation Manager, Delta Flight Products
Ingo Wuggetzer, Vice President Cabin Marketing, Airbus
Ekrem Dimbiloglu, Managing Director – Customer Experience – DeltaStudio & Wi-Fi, Delta Air Lines
Jack Kavanagh, Board of Directors of the National Disability Authority and Center for Excellence in Universal Design
Jo Rowan, Associate Director Strategy, PriestmanGoode
Joshua Hirschheimer, Associate Partner, Porsche Consulting
Duncan Jackson, President, FlightPath3D
Mark Muren, Managing Director – Brand Identity, Product, and Loyalty, United Airlines
Stephan Schulte, Director Fleet Procurement, Lufthansa Group
Dominic Green, Director – Inflight Entertainment, United Airlines
Blake Rittenberg, Manager – Inflight Entertainment, Tech, & Partnerships, JetBlue
Nick Ewen, Senior Editorial Director, The Points Guy
Maryam Simson, Director, Jetway Communications
Robynne Trueman, Business Editor, PAX Tech
Seth Miller, Author, PaxEx.Aero
Michelle Fleury, Correspondent & Anchor, BBC News

In addition, Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, will be featured in an exclusive Fireside Chat/Case Study. He will share insights on the future of aviation and leadership in a post-pandemic world, making this a must-attend session for anyone looking to understand industry leadership from the top.

Ekrem Dimbiloglu (Delta Air Lines), Xia Cai (Qatar Airways), Alex Wilcox (JSX), Matt Klein (Spirit Airlines), and Seth Miller (PaxEx.Aero) will explore how enhanced connectivity models can drive Net Promoter Scores and elevate customer satisfaction in a thought leadership panel.

Oren Cohen Butansky (EL AL), Mark Muren (United Airlines), and Nick Ewen (The Points Guy) will share insights on maximizing in-flight ancillary revenue through personalized passenger experiences and innovative technologies.

Making air travel more inclusive, Ingo Wuggetzer (Airbus), Tyler Anderson (Delta Flight Products), Jack Kavanagh (National Disability Authority and Center for Excellence in Universal Design), Jo Rowan (PriestmanGoode), and Rick Salanitri (Delta Flight Products) will share their experiences in developing solutions for air travel for those with mobility impairments in a cross-industry session and detailed topical workshop.