Future Travel Experience (FTE) together with our partner, innovation consultancy nlmtd, is delighted to launch the new FTE Accelerating Collaboration & Engagement (ACE) platform, which is committed to driving real collaborative action among stakeholders. Through ACE, we aim to facilitate fast progress and dynamic change in key areas of the aviation industry. Joining forces will get us to winning solutions a lot faster – the phased approach will move from knowledge-sharing through challenge-based innovation, assessing which solutions truly work, and exploring the potential for shared investments in exciting new technologies.
BOOST and Smart Ramp programmes
The first project under the ACE platform was BOOST – a global coalition dedicated to accelerating baggage innovation, which was launched in June during the FTE EMEA 2024 event in Dublin. In partnership with Royal Schiphol Group, Avinor, and Incheon International Airport Corporation, BOOST aims to eliminate physical strain and improve working conditions for baggage workers by rapidly adopting advanced technologies. BOOST leverages the collective innovation power of multiple airports, emphasising hands-on execution and rapid implementation of new technologies, which you can read more about here.
The next focus area under the ACE platform will be on creating ‘Smart Ramp’ operations, exploring everything from autonomous vehicles and inspection approaches through to timestamping and FOD detection.
“To solve many of the industry’s biggest challenges we need to find completely new approaches,” says Daniel Coleman, Founder & CEO, Future Travel Experience. “Collaborative action must be taken for us to make real headway on finding the right solutions and methods that will, in time, become common practice for our industry, and FTE is stepping up to deliver on that. We are delighted to have found a partner in nlmtd that has such a complementary skillset to us to drive tangible outcomes – through our FTE communities and network we are engaged with all the players looking to innovate, and nlmtd has a fantastic track record of driving real innovation and results across verticals, so together we have all the ingredients we need to succeed. We will first work to recruit airlines, airports, handlers and aircraft manufacturers as members and then we will look to test out the latest offerings on the market in the Smart Ramp realm.”
Key obstacles hindering innovation in airport operations include a lack of collaboration, limited market appeal, and outdated business models. The Smart Ramp program seeks to overcome these hurdles by promoting collective learning and collaboration among airports, airlines, and other stakeholders.
“With a focus on shared requirements, knowledge and results, the program will involve participants each running an innovation challenge in their environment,” says Manuel van Lijf, Director Aviation Innovation, nlmtd. “Through this collaborative effort, each participant stands to gain insights from multiple innovations, fostering a culture of shared innovation and continuous improvement. nlmtd will provide expertise in challenge shaping and sector-specific innovation. Future Travel Experience events and communities will serve as platforms for sharing learnings and knowledge, driving industry-wide progress. Let’s collaborate to shape the future of airport innovation together.”
Contact us to get involved
The FTE ACE platform will create a level of collaboration between stakeholders that has arguably never been seen before, and we are already considering our focus areas for 2025. Contact us via the button below if you are interested in getting involved in our Smart Ramp effort, or if there is an area you would like us to explore.
