airportIR by Modalis - Open Mic Podcast

Welcome to Open Mic, the airport- and aviation-focused podcast hosted by Curtis Grad, Chief Executive and Founding Partner of Modalis Infrastructure Partners. Each episode features in-depth conversations with global aviation leaders—airport executives, investors, innovators, and policy experts—exploring the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the airport and aviation landscape.In this episode, Curtis speaks with Belinda Jain, Vice President, Customer Experience and Commercial at JFK International Air Terminal, operator of Terminal 4 at New York’s JFK Airport. Together, Curtis and Belinda explore n airport commercial strategy, how terminal operators can differentiate in a competitive airport environment and why customer experience must evolve into a broader “terminal experience” that includes passengers, employees, airlines and partners. They dive into:✈️ Belinda’s global aviation journey—from the Queen Alia Airport project in Jordan to leadership roles in Mumbai and now JFK Terminal 4.🏗️ Reimagining Terminal 4 through a major transformation program spanning passenger experience, employee experience, commercial strategy, and terminal ambience.🛍️ The complexity of redeveloping and modernizing more than 100 concessions while maintaining operations for tens of thousands of daily passengers.🤝 Why terminal experience goes beyond passengers—building a unified ecosystem that includes employees, airlines, and partners.🌆 Creating a distinct “sense of place” at JFK Terminal 4 while aligning with the broader One JFK vision.Timestamps:1:06  Queen Alia Airport: Lessons from a landmark project4:04  Leading transformation at JFK Terminal 44:50  Commercial redevelopment and concession strategy12:10  F&B investments and terminal experience versus customer experience16:40  Crazy aviation story: Opening day of a new terminal18:15  From fashion and retail to airport commercial strategy29:27  Magic Mirror: Rapid-fire questions with Belinda🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.💬 Like and Comment: How can airport terminals differentiate themselves while delivering a unified passenger experience?🌐 Visit https://www.modalisinfra.ca/openmic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis asks Juan José Salmón, Chief Executive Officer of Lima Airport Partners (LAP), the private operator and developer of Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru to share his craziest story from from his varied and intriguing career the airport sector.🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis asks Juan José Salmón, Chief Executive Officer of Lima Airport Partners (LAP), the private operator and developer of Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru to share his craziest story from his varied and intriguing career in the airport sector.🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

Welcome to Open Mic, the airport- and aviation-focused podcast hosted by Curtis Grad, Chief Executive and Founding Partner of Modalis Infrastructure Partners. Each episode features in-depth conversations with global aviation leaders—airport executives, investors, innovators, and policy experts—exploring the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the airport and aviation landscape.In this episode, Curtis speaks with Juan José Salmón, Chief Executive Officer of Lima Airport Partners (LAP), the private operator and developer of Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru. Together, Curtis and Juan José explore the extraordinary journey behind the airport’s new terminal and the broader role of private sector investment in transforming aviation infrastructure across Latin America.They dive into:✈️ The multi-year effort to plan, design, and deliver Lima’s new airport terminal—including navigating COVID-19 disruptions and redesigning the project mid-stream.🏗️ The operational challenge of closing the old airport and moving an entire operation—including aircraft, equipment, and personnel—to a new terminal in less than 24 hours.📈 The remarkable growth story of Lima Airport, expanding from just a few million passengers at the start of the concession to nearly 26 million today.🌎 Why Latin America has become the most privatized airport region in the world—and what that means for infrastructure investment and connectivity.🚀 The future of aviation in the region, including open skies, increased connectivity, and emerging airport technologies.Timestamps:1:25  The story behind Lima’s new airport terminal3:00  The operational challenge of moving an airport in 24 hours8:50  Lima Airport’s extraordinary passenger growth11:14  Public vs private airport management models14:20  From maritime logistics to aviation leadership21:48  Crazy aviation story: shutting down the airport during COVID27:53  The future of aviation connectivity in Latin America34:37  Magic Mirror: Rapid-fire questions with Juan José🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.💬 Like and Comment: What lessons can other regions learn from Latin America’s airport privatization model?🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis invites Karen Ellis, Assistant General Manager of Customer Experience at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to peer into the Magic Mirror and reflect on the things that make her tick!🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis asks Karen Ellis, Assistant General Manager of Customer Experience at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to share her craziest story from from his varied and intriguing career the airport sector.🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

Welcome to Open Mic, the airport- and aviation-focused podcast hosted by Curtis Grad, Chief Executive and Founding Partner of Modalis Infrastructure Partners. Each episode features in-depth conversations with global aviation leaders—airport executives, investors, innovators, and policy experts—exploring the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the airport and aviation landscape.In this episode, Curtis speaks with Karen Ellis, Assistant General Manager of Customer Experience at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). Together, Curtis and Karen discuss customer experience leadership at scale, balancing technology with human connection and how intentional CX design drives satisfaction, resilience and revenue at the world’s busiest airport.Curtis and Karen dive into:✈️ Karen’s full-circle aviation career—from starting at ATL in 1997 to leadership roles in Houston and San Antonio, and returning home to Atlanta.🌏 Building award-winning customer experience programs at medium and large hub airports, including ACI ASQ recognition and Hall of Fame honours.🤝 Why customer experience must be embedded in airport design, operations, and commercial strategy from day one—not retrofitted after the fact.💡 The evolving balance between technology and human interaction, from self-service tools to conflict resolution, accessibility, and de-escalation training.Timestamps:1:45  Wearing many hats at San Antonio International Airport10:15  Rebuilding and rebranding customer experience at ATL12:30  Training, staffing and creating a shared CX culture 16:45  Crazy aviation story: Monkey on the loose!24:30  Understanding airport personas32:35 A career full of accolades35:45  Magic Mirror: Rapid-fire questions with Karen🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.💬 Like and Comment: How can large hub airports maintain a human-centered customer experience at scale?🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis challenges Piervittorio Farabbi, Chief Operating Officer of Tirana Int'l Airport in Tirana, Albania with a random selection of fun and frivolous rapid-fire "Magic Mirror" questions.🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear this full-length interview with Piervittorio, as well as future IR Open Mic Podcast episodes.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis asks  Piervittorio Farabbi, Chief Operating Officer of Tirana Int'l Airport in Tirana, Albania to share his craziest story from from his varied and intriguing career the airport sector.🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear this full-length interview with Piervittorio, as well as future IR Open Mic Podcast episodes.

Welcome to Open Mic, the airport- and aviation-focused podcast hosted by Curtis Grad, Chief Executive and Founding Partner of Modalis Infrastructure Partners. Each episode features in-depth conversations with global aviation leaders—airport executives, investors, innovators, and policy experts—exploring the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the airport and aviation landscape.In this episode, Curtis speaks with Piervittorio Farabbi, Chief Operating Officer of Tirana International Airport, Albania’s primary international gateway. Together, Curtis and Piervittorio discuss airport privatization, managing exponential traffic growth, and what it takes to scale infrastructure, operations, and airspace at one of Europe’s fastest-growing airports.They dive into:✈️ Piervittorio’s global career journey—from airport master planning and consulting at Landrum & Brown and IATA to senior airport leadership roles across Italy and the Balkans.🌍 Tirana International Airport’s extraordinary growth—from 3.3 million passengers in 2019 to nearly 12 million today—and what enabled Europe’s fastest-growing airport.🏗️ The role of private concessionaires, including the Kastrati Group, in unlocking untapped demand, accelerating investment and modernizing infrastructure.🧠 Managing complexity at scale: airspace constraints, fuel supply, terminals, master planning and stakeholder coordination during hyper-growth.🏛️ Albania’s transformation—from a closed communist state to an emerging European tourism and connectivity hub—and how history, culture and geography shape aviation demand.Timestamps1:30 Piervittorio’s career path from consulting to airport operations7:00 Returning home: leading regional airports in Italy9:50 Taking on operations leadership at Tirana International Airport and explosive passenger growth 12:57 The Kastrati Group and the power of private airport concessions16:39 Diaspora traffic, tourism growth and route development18:18 Crazy aviation stories from Perugia and Nigeria22:29 Albania’s history, architecture and national identity27:30 Magic Mirror: Rapid-fire questions with Piervittorio🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.💬 Like and Comment: What role should private concessionaires play in scaling airport capacity across Europe?🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis challenges Elizabeth Brown, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Victoria Airport Authority with a random selection of fun and frivolous rapid-fire "Magic Mirror" questions.🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear this full-length interview with Elizabeth, as well as future IR Open Mic Podcast episodes.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis asks Elizabeth Brown, President & CEO of Victoria Airport Authority,  to share her craziest story from her varied and intriguing career in the airport sector.🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear this full-length interview with Elizabeth, as well as future IR Open Mic Podcast episodes.

In this episode, Curtis chats with Elizabeth Brown, President & CEO of Victoria Airport Authority, operator of Victoria Int'l Airport (YYJ) in British Columbia, Canada. Together, Curtis and Elizabeth discuss global airport leadership, crisis management and how her experiences in Jamaica, California, Florida and Mexico are shaping the future of Victoria International Airport.They dive into:✈️ Elizabeth’s international career journey—from Edmonton to Montego Bay, Cross Border Xpress, Orlando Sanford and back home to Victoria. 🌏 Rebuilding after shocks: from an attempted hijacking and hurricanes in Jamaica to planning for growth and resilience at YYJ. 🤝 How Cross Border Xpress (CBX) unlocked a new model of binational airport access and what it taught her about partnerships, logistics and passenger experience. 💡 The future of Victoria International Airport—runway needs, changing fleets, accessibility, regulatory pressures and the role of private capital in Canadian airports. Timestamps:01:15 From Mexico at 13 years of age to Edmonton International: finding a career in airports07:25 Attempted hijacking in Jamaica and lessons in crisis management and media relations13:00 Returning to Canada and leading Victoria International Airport (YYJ)18:00 Cross Border Xpress (CBX): a binational terminal reinventing border travel30:00 A transformative commercial program at Montego Bay36:00 Orlando Sanford, ultra-low-cost carriers and competing with major hubs39:30 Private sector participation in Canadian and U.S. airports46:00 Magic Mirror: Rapid-fire questions with Elizabeth🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.💬 Like and Comment: What’s the most important lesson Canadian and U.S. airports can learn from international privatization models?🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis peppers Athanasios Titonis, Chief Executive Officer of Aboitiz Operating Airports, operator of Mactan–Cebu Int'l Airport, Bohol–Panglao Int'l Airport and Laguindingan Airport in the Philippines with a round of fun and frivolous rapid-fire "Magic Mirror" questions.🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear this full-length interview with Athanasios, as well as future IR Open Mic Podcast episodes.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis asks Athanasios Titonis, Chief Executive Officer of Aboitiz Operating Airports, operator of Mactan–Cebu Int'l Airport, Bohol–Panglao Int'l Airport and Laguindingan Airport in the Philippines to share his craziest story from his long and varied career in the airport business.🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear this full-length interview with Athanasios, as well as future IR Open Mic Podcast episodes.

Welcome to Open Mic, the airport- and aviation-focused podcast hosted by Curtis Grad, Chief Executive and Founding Partner of Modalis Infrastructure Partners. Each episode features in-depth conversations with global aviation leaders—airport executives, investors, innovators, and policy experts—exploring the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the airport and aviation landscape.In this episode, Curtis sits down with Athanasios Titonis, Chief Executive Officer of Aboitiz Operating Airports, operator of Mactan–Cebu International Airport, Bohol–Panglao International Airport and Laguindingan Airport in the Philippines. Together Curtis and Athanasios discuss crisis leadership, airport privatization and Aboitiz’s aspirations of transforming aviation in the Philippines. They dive into:✈️ How Cebu’s airport team managed a real-time earthquake crisis and what it revealed about crisis management and teamwork.🌏 The “Cebu Connect” strategy which links air and sea transport to create a national tourism and transfer hub.🤝 The growing role of Aboitiz and international investors in modernizing Philippine airports.💡 How AI and digital innovation are reshaping airport operations while keeping people at the heart of aviation.Timestamps:00:00  Intro – Welcome to Open Mic02:15  Earthquake response and crisis management at CEB10:20  Transforming Philippine aviation23:00 The role of AI and the continuing importance of people in airport operations25:00  Learnings from previous roles33:45 Magic Mirror: Getting to know Athanasios🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.💬 Like and Comment: What’s the biggest challenge or opportunity you see for airport privatization in Asia?🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.