Meta Singapore hosts exclusive, members-only FTE Communities meeting themed ‘Immersive Technologies’ ahead of APEX FTE Asia Expo 2025
The Future Travel Experience Communities bring together the most innovative and progressive organisations to provide a unique platform for sharing, learning, cooperation and industry advancement. Ahead of APEX FTE Asia Expo 2025 (Singapore, 11-12 November) Meta Singapore hosted a joint meeting on 10 November 2025 – themed ‘Immersive Technologies’ – that brought together Corporate Partners of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub, as well as members of the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group (BIWG) and the FTE World Ancillary & Retailing Working Group. It was an incredible, immersive start to the plethora of activities at APEX FTE Asia Expo.
Bastian Schütz, Head of XR in Travel, Meta, delivered a compelling keynote presentation on ‘Elevating Aviation with Extended Reality’. He shared how Meta is building the future of human connection and the technology that makes it possible, with a focus on advancing artificial intelligence (AI), as well as building the next computing platform with the Metaverse.
The meeting was led by Darin Juby, Head of Transformation, Future Travel Experience, and Kevin Kleist, Head of Emerging Trends, Southwest Airlines and Head of Innovation, Digitalisation & Startup Engagement, Future Travel Experience. It featured a packed agenda, including:
- A compelling keynote presentation by Bastian Schütz, Head of XR in Travel, Meta, on ‘Elevating Aviation with Extended Reality’, and a welcome from Lingge Li, Channel Partner Manager, Meta.
- Presentations on how aviation industry stakeholders are using immersive technologies today to enhance operations, delivered Tomoyuki Kikuchi, Head of Innovation, Ground Handling Planning, All Nippon Airways, and Mark Lakerveld, Director Strategy & Markets, Vanderlande.
- Interactive roundtables exploring how aviation industry stakeholders can make use of immersive technology today. Topics included CX, Workforce, Baggage, Retail & Revenue, and Collaboration.
- Immersive Meta technology demos and networking, and much more.
Tomoyuki Kikuchi, Head of Innovation, Ground Handling Planning, shared an insightful presentation on how All Nippon Airways (ANA) is using immersive technologies today to enhance operations. He explained how, to address training needs and workforce shortages, ANA launched ‘∀TRAS (Atlas)’, a nationwide VR-based training simulator for ground handling staff in October 2024. This solution improves training access, consistency, and operational readiness across ANA’s ground handling network.
Mark Lakerveld, Director Strategy & Markets, Vanderlande, presented thought-provoking insights into immersive technologies for baggage operations and maintenance. He highlighted AR Bag Finder for expedited inventory-taking, ‘needle-in-a-haystack’ search, and status checking of bags of interest. Lakerveld also discussed Augmented Reality (AR)-powered maintenance – instant, user-friendly access to all relevant maintenance information.
Interactive roundtables explored how aviation industry stakeholders can make use of immersive technology today. Topics included CX, Workforce, Baggage, Retail & Revenue, and Collaboration.
An undoubted highlight of the FTE Communities meeting was the immersive Meta technology demos and networking opportunities.
Save the date for APEX FTE Expo Asia, 18-19 November 2026 – uniting the world in Singapore for the largest end-to-end passenger experience and innovation expo
Next year, we’re building on 15 years of incredible momentum, as our long-running regional show evolves into a true global mega event with the launch of the unified APEX FTE Expo Asia, bringing together two of the industry’s most respected brands under one roof at the Marina Bay Sands. APEX will bring its largest event, APEX Global EXPO, to Singapore, combining its unrivalled customer experience heritage with FTE’s long-established regional innovation APAC event, which will now take on a broader global focus.
This powerful new collaboration will unite the world in Singapore for the largest end-to-end passenger experience and innovation expo, connecting airline, airport, and technology leaders from across APAC and beyond to showcase the ideas, solutions, and partnerships redefining the future of travel.
With more than 3,000 participants expected, including representatives from 100+ airlines and airport operators from around the world, attendees will experience a dynamic exhibition and conference programme featuring C-suite interviews, case studies, and discussions exploring the strategies, technologies, and collaborations driving the next era of air transport innovation.