Setting the agenda for the multi-modal future

Passenger Experience Conference returns on 5 June, ahead of Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) 2023

The organisers of the annual Passenger Experience Conference have today unveiled a packed schedule of high-level industry experts and inspirational figures that are confirmed to speak at this year’s conference, taking place on 5 June ahead of Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX).

Bringing together experts from the industry’s leading companies – including easyJet, Iberia, Teague, Collins Aerospace, Lufthansa Group, Panasonic Avionics, Boeing, and more – the conference will address the most pertinent topics within today’s cabin environment, while presenting a Vision for the Multi-Modal Future.

Delegates can join blue-sky discussions, discover the exciting innovations destined to transform the future of aviation, and envision what a joined-up approach to travel in the future looks like. The conference will also enable delegates to better understand the complexities of the modern-day passenger, and why it is critical to keep up with both their values and expectations of airlines today, and tomorrow.

Kicking off the 2023 programme, a plenary session will bring delegates together to learn how to build loyalty and emotional connections with passengers. First to take to the stage, Eric Bogner, Executive Creative Director at Teague, will highlight how the airlines that bridge intermodal touchpoints on the passenger journey will dominate airports and hospitality in ‘Debunking the Seamless Journey’.

Mr. Bogner will be followed by other travel industry leaders, including George Land, Executive Director Sales of Hybrid Air Vehicles, who will share their strategic visions for the future and help delegates prepare for a new travel landscape in 2030 and beyond.

The conference will then be split into two streams: Delivering for the new generation passenger and Succeeding in the green revolution, offering delegates a chance to take a deep dive into the future landscape of aviation and those travelling within it.

Delivering for the new generation passenger

According to research by Bain & Company, the proportion of younger and less affluent travellers (Gen Y and Z) will make up more than 50% of passengers onboard[1] by 2025. This new breed of passenger will be travelling in an era of connectivity and personalisation, with growing expectations of a seamless digital experience.

Helping to uncover what this future looks like, a series of thought-provoking sessions will address the needs of this new generation of passenger, and how airlines can tailor and adapt their offering to attract and retain customers.

Daniel Baron, Managing Director of Lift Aero Design, will moderate a series of sessions around ‘Defining new passenger experience benchmarks’, including one with Professor Peter Vink, Faculty of Industry Design Engineering at Delft University of Technology, during which they will discuss ‘Good vibrations – new research to improve physical comfort’. Chris Wood, Aviation Accessibility Consultant for Flying Disabled, will go on to share insights on ‘Revolutionising air travel for passengers with reduced mobility’.

The presentations will culminate in a panel discussion on ‘Setting new standards for passenger comfort’, where Mr. Baron, Professor Vink and Mr. Wood will be joined by representatives from Collins Aerospace, Tronos Aviation Consulting, Lufthansa Group, and Caynova Switzerland.

Afternoon sessions in the new generation passenger stream will focus on ‘Onboard digitalisation: raising the bar and creating opportunity’. Here, ‘Succeeding with a low-cost digitalisation model’ will be put under the spotlight by William Kramer, Transformation & Continuous Improvement Lead – Inflight Retail at easyJet, and Job Heimerikx, CEO of AirFi. This will be followed by an interactive roundtable where experts fromPanasonic Avionics, Valour Consultant and AERQ will discuss how to ‘Meet the expectations of the new generation digital customer’, examining what happens at the intersection of streaming quality connectivity, and increasingly sophisticated onboard digital services.

Meanwhile, in the final session of the day, Jo Rowan, Associate Director Strategy and Customer Experience at PriestmanGoode, will explore ‘Demystifying digital realities – and creating new journey narratives’. The session will answer a range of questions, such as, how can we design differently to offer a canvas for digital play? What do digital realities offer passengers from an accessibility point of view? And how brands can benefit and drive revenue opportunities in this new digital landscape?

Succeeding in the Green Revolution

The second stream at this year’s Passenger Experience Conference will address the ever-challenging topic of sustainability, offering delegates a chance to consider how what we waste today can be transformed into an asset, and how the reuse model can be integrated into the aviation industry.

Among the hotly anticipated sessions, Brenna Wynhof, Regional Director, Cabin & Passenger Experience at Boeing, will explain how the leading aircraft manufacturer is embracing sustainability in the cabin during the aptly named ‘Behind the scenes: Boeing’s cabin sustainability journey’ session. She will then join a wider panel, featuring Andrew Billingsley, CEO of Plaswire; Gary Doy, Director of Doy Designs; and Chris Brady, Chairman & Founder of Unum Aircraft Seating, who will debate a range of ‘Evolving sustainability initiatives’.

In the final half of the Green Revolution stream, Matt Crane, Founding Member of the Aviation Sustainability Forum, will welcome speakers from Antos Environmental, IN Air Travel Experience, 2030 Markets and Iberia to debate the transformation of cabin waste – such as food and beverages, packaging and tableware – from a cost to a valuable resource. The ‘Energising cabin waste’ session will also demonstrate how aviation professionals can learn from other major industries that are shifting their cultures to embrace sustainability initiatives.

And finally, ‘Planning for a low-impact future’ will see Sarah Klatt-Walsh, Sustainability Lead at FORMIA, and Nathan Kwok, Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing at Safran Cabin, discuss their net zero carbon goals and the strategies they are deploying for successful delivery.

In summary, over the full day, this year’s Passenger Experience Conference will equip delegates with refreshing and actionable insights to help them tackle the next set of challenges facing the industry. It will also enable them to be part of the conversation in an interactive setting, unpicking the key topics on all things passenger experience: from building loyalty and emotional connections with passengers, physical comfort, accessibility, sustainability and everything else in between.

A chance to network with industry colleagues

After a day full of interesting insights and engaging debates, delegates can relax at Passenger Experience Conference’s popular Welcome Party, which will commence after the final sessions. Free for all conference delegates to attend, with tickets available for AIX visitors to purchase, it presents an unmissable networking event ahead of the exhibition beginning on 6 June.

Polly Magraw, Event Director, Aircraft Interiors Expo, commented:

“Every year we’re delighted to provide a platform for the who’s who of the industry to come together and immerse themselves in the latest insights and ideas from those at the forefront of enhancing passenger experience. With such a high calibre of speakers offering their expertise and experience, we’re confident that delegates will be inundated with opportunities to learn, network, and do business. Without doubt, Passenger Experience Conference will serve as the catalyst for the future of the industry.”

This year’s Passenger Experience Conference will take place at the Congress Center Hamburg (CCH) on 5 June, the day before Aircraft Interiors Expo which runs from 6-8 June 2023.

Registration is now open for both events, and the co-located World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo. Early-bird conference rates run until 19 May 2023. To register today, visit: https://www.passengerexperienceconference.com/