The Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) has agreed to acquisition terms for the purchase of Future Travel Experience (FTE), bringing the global events, media, and innovation hub company under APEX’s nonprofit direction. Alongside all of APEX’s current global events, APEX will now feature FTE Global, FTE Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA), FTE Ancillary, FTE Asia EXPO, FTE Media, and the FTE Innovation & Startup Hub.
With the acquisition of FTE, APEX will serve the end-to-end passenger experience with the International Flight Services Association (IFSA). This will allow APEX to immediately hit new levels of airline engagement and supplier participation while increasing the value the association provides to the entire industry from in-the-air to on-the-ground.
“APEX with FTE will effectively double our size, scope, and ability to be a more powerful driving force for industry change and collaboration serving all of our global members,” APEX/IFSA CEO Dr. Joe Leader stated. “The idea for this approach came from the APEX Board of Directors strategic planning session early last year. Combining the power of APEX, IFSA, and FTE together furthers our ability to inspire global air-transport stakeholders to accelerate the advancement of the future travel experience and in-flight service.”
APEX/IFSA members will continue to see the existing price structure for existing APEX and IFSA events in addition to discounted member rates for attending FTE events around the globe. The acquisition engagement is expected to increase the association’s overall membership, as well as significantly increase the overlap of attendance at regional events, by attracting new airlines, suppliers, and on-the-ground service providers to the organisation’s already robust membership.
“We have already enjoyed incredibly strong working relations with four years of in-depth partnership with APEX,” said FTE Founder Daniel Coleman. “I think the association has a huge role to play in driving important industry change that we are very proud to now more directly support. By teaming up, we can strengthen and amplify our respective propositions greatly. There remains a tremendous, real opportunity now to consolidate and build mega-events together in the territories of Asia-Pacific, EMEA, and the Americas to better serve our global industry.”
APEX members are encouraged to join the full slate of relevant, thought-leading FTE events around the globe. In addition, APEX airlines and technology leaders should engage with the FTE Innovation & Startup Hub.
APEX will maintain FTE’s branding, identity, innovation, and independence as the two organisations become more closely intertwined and integrated over a four-year time horizon.
