Airport Experience® News - Leadership Issue 2025

20 25

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR LARGE-HUB AIRPORTS

INNOVATIVE AND DRIVEN Cassotis’ Push Sold New Terminal, Drove Creativity Making PIT Industry Leader In Innovation

BY ANDREW TELLIJOHN

Whether it’s the new terminal, a natural gas production facility or an on-site childcare center, Christina Cassotis is innovative, determined and skilled at passing along her vision to stakeholders. While Pittsburgh International Airport’s (PIT) new state-of-the-art terminal, built not for the needs of a hub airline but for the citizens of Pittsburgh, is the latest and largest development, industry stakeholders credit her for innovations in technology, sustainability and terminal amenities. Here’s what a selection of airport, civic and industry leaders had to say about Cassotis and her contributions to the area and the industry.

SEAN DOYLE, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, BRITISH AIRWAYS “She knows the detail of her operation in a lot more detail than a lot of other airport chiefs. She has stamped a

very strong vision on that operation. I also [am impressed by] the broader innovation, whether it’s the harnessing of the natural gas, the creation of a micro grid…or the development of sustainable aviation fuel. I can’t think of many who think vertically outside of just a typical airport operation, as she does. The other thing I get the impression about Christina is that she really cares about her people, and her people march behind her. She inspires a very motivated, loyal workforce. You add those ingredients up. you get a great transformation for aviation and Pittsburgh.”

BRYAN DIETZ, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF AIR SERVICE AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, ACAA “She is a tough leader, but she’s also fair. She is very effective in assembling different folks together,

SARA INNAMORATO, ALLEGHENY COUNTY EXECUTIVE

which results in a great group perspective. It’s one of the things I really appreciate. It’s not just what one department says that goes, it’s how does the whole system work together? For a lot of airports, what works for, say, operations or engineering, might not work for the commercial team, and vice versa. What she’s really demonstrated is that we need to be thinking about the entire ecosystem, not just in our airport terminal, but in our region and in our industry.”

“I’ve been in office for a little under two years and she has been a tremendous advocate for the airport and the project. She made sure I knew the value that it would bring, not only to the airport and the experience for the people

going into the region, but for job creation numbers. I really appreciate that she has been incredibly bold with her ideas, unwavering in her boldness. She had been in that position before I was in this particular office. And she got the job essentially because she said, ‘You all need to let go of the promise that you can have a hub again because you won’t, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a world class airport that meets the needs of this region.’ We’re Pittsburghers, we don’t always love change, but you know they’ll love it as they get to see and feel and experience the new terminal.”

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AX NEWS DECEMBER 2025 / JANUARY 2026