Airport Experience® News - Post-Conference Issue 2026

think that, as an airport authority, it’s our job to communicate to the traveler why we’re using AI to enhance safety and operations,” said Rhawie. “Because on the other side, I think that the big fear is, ‘Well, what happens to the security of my data?’ We work with our IT department [and] with our marketing communications department to ensure that when we are using technology like that, that we are communicating why it’s being used,” said Rhawie, adding that customers should have the option to opt in or opt out of certain AI functions. Looking at the year ahead, panelists emphasized operational agility as key to strengthening partnerships and improving the customer experience across the industry. “It is about really

coming together, welcoming various ideas and commonalities, and being able to reach out and network is critical,” said Guidry, adding that embracing different generational perspectives within their workforce is part of that process. “We’ve got to stay agile as an industry,” said LaRocque. “In order to do that, we have to be flexible. It can’t always be black and white – you’ve got to be able to see the gray. We are in a period of slower growth in terms of traffic, but we also have rising costs in terms of labor and CapEx. We also have aging infrastructure, and we are being asked as an industry to do more at pace with less so we’ve got to get creative. We have to listen to each other, we have to stay open, we have to stay agile.”

“When the government shuts down, we have food banks for TSA agents. When there’s someone, whether it’s an operator’s employee or one of our own, going through hard times, we show up.” “Solutions are developed together – that has to be the bottom line,” added FitzRandolph. “There’s no us and them, it’s not landlord and concessionaire, it’s not airport authority and concessionaire, it’s coming together to figure out how to solve these issues that we have together when traffic is down, when sales are not where they should be,” she said. “[These issues] are solved through partnerships, through the relationships that have been built over years and years, and this is where it gets tested. To watch the industry problem-solve together – it’s really been a testament to [the] long-term building of relationships.” Relationship building and trust are also vital as airport industry leaders navigate the ever-expanding pressures to use artificial intelligence (AI) in both customer-facing and operational functions, the panelists added. “Transparency is a key word here. I Above: Outstanding Women in Leadership Awards went to Pam DeChant in the Airports division and to Joya Kizer in the Operators division. Flanking each were award sponsor Dan Solomon of Minute Suites and Melissa K. Montes of AXN.

“We’ve got to stay agile as an industry. It can’t always be black and white - you’ve to to be able to see the gray.” —Alea LaRocque, vp of business development, WHSmith NA

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AX NEWS APRIL/MAY 2026