Airport Experience® News - Leadership Issue 2025

Top Right: Each year at the Airport Experience Conference, Montes (pictured center) and AXN Editor Carol Ward meet with the CEOs of major prime concessions operators for a roundtable discussion on the state of the industry. Bottom Right: A trusted mix of veterans and rising talent, the AX Team works together to create an exceptional conference experience for the industry.

partners. Lasting performance is rooted in trust, and trust is built through relationships. Delivering best in class media products and an extraordinary event experience unites our team. Watching this group pour their heart into making every person feel seen, heard, and valued is what I am most proud of. They truly are the best in the business. AXN: What are the challenges that keep you up at night right now? MONTES: Revenue and relevancy absolutely keep me up at night. We must continue increasing profitability, but that is only possible if we remain deeply relevant. One cannot exist without the other. Equally important is maintaining trust, relationships, and neutrality. AXN must always be viewed as a credible, trusted news source that delivers what the industry truly needs. That responsibility weighs heavily, and I take it personally. Consolidation across the concessions landscape is also front and center. As companies merge and portfolios grow, sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities naturally tighten. As a bottom line business producing meaningful media and events, that pressure is real. Layered on top of that is the rapid pace of change across airport partnerships, small business dynamics, and traveler expectations. That is why staying close to the industry, showing up in person, listening hard, and being true partners is paramount. At the end of the day, what keeps me up is the responsibility to get it right for our partners, our team, and an industry I genuinely love. AXN: As you look ahead to 2026, what are you most excited about?

strengthening our partnerships, and delivering clear ROI for the customers who invest in us. That balance of community and content defines AX and continues to inspire me most. AXN: When you are not immersed in “#airportlife,” what helps you relax and reset? MONTES: When I am not traveling or living that #airportlife as I like to call it on social, it is all about coming home and resetting with my family. Home means cooking a real meal with the help of my pretty amazing sous chef, movie nights on the couch, and snuggling in with our pups. My partner and our little crew are my anchor. I also recharge on my yoga mat or on long walks through our neighborhood trails. And when I am home, there is almost always a game on. Go Bears, Go Cubs, Go Bulls. Add in the occasional girls’ night with my Chicago crew, many of whom I have met through this incredible industry, and that is my perfect mix of movement, laughter, and just enough mischief to keep life fun and keep me sharp for the next wheels up.

MONTES: As we look ahead to 2026, I am energized by what is ahead for our team and the broader AX community. We will once again kick things off with THE airport concessions industry event of the year, AXC. Our partnership with BNA is off to a strong start, and there are exciting things to come. AXC is our Super Bowl. It is where our team shows up with customer service excellence, first in class education, and the industry’s first and largest Experience Hall. Watching our people perform at that level never gets old. I am also excited about the enhancements underway across our digital platforms and our expanding 360 degree approach to connecting the industry between events. Our partners are asking for more dynamic, measurable, and story driven engagement, and that is exactly where our team shines. Finally, I am excited about growth. Every new year gives us the opportunity to expand our reach, strengthen our commercial footprint, and welcome new professionals into this uniquely powerful industry. In 2026, our focus will remain sharp on expanding our commercial footprint,

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AX NEWS DECEMBER 2025 / JANUARY 2026