Two weeks ago, FlightBI had the privilege of sponsoring and exhibiting at the 2026 Air Service Data Seminar in New Orleans, organized by Airports Council International – North America.
As a tabletop sponsor, we were excited to connect directly with airport air service development teams, consultants, and aviation data professionals from across North America. The seminar once again proved to be one of the most important gatherings of the year for data-driven airport strategy.
Thank You to ACI-NA
First and foremost, we would like to thank the ACI-NA team for organizing such a well-executed and insightful event. From the quality of the speakers to the depth of discussion in each session, the seminar delivered both strategic perspective and practical tools that airports can apply immediately.
The setting in New Orleans also created a great environment for open conversations, idea-sharing, and meaningful networking.
Conversations That Matter
Throughout the event, we had the opportunity to speak with airports of all sizes — from small regional facilities to large connecting hubs — about the challenges they are facing in today’s environment.
Several themes consistently emerged:
1. Turning Data into Action
Airports are overwhelmed with data but still struggle to translate it into clear, defensible air service business cases. Teams are looking for solutions that move beyond static reports and provide scenario-based insights.
2. Catchment and Leakage Analysis
Understanding true origin markets at the ZIP-code level remains a top priority. Airports want better visibility into:
- Passenger leakage to competing airports
- Recapture opportunities
- True demand stimulation potential
3. Scenario Planning
Several conversations focused on modeling “what-if” scenarios — new routes, frequency increases, aircraft gauge changes, and competitive responses — to support airline discussions with quantitative backing.
Why This Matters
The seminar reinforced something we strongly believe at FlightBI: air service development is becoming increasingly analytical, and airport teams need tools that are built specifically for their workflow — not generic dashboards retrofitted for aviation.
At our table, we demonstrated how FlightBI supports airports through:
- ZIP-level catchment intelligence
- Market opportunity analysis
- Scenario modeling tools
- Clear, presentation-ready outputs for airline meetings
The engagement and thoughtful questions we received confirmed that the industry is ready for more advanced, yet practical, data solutions.
Looking Ahead
We are grateful to everyone who stopped by our table to share their challenges, ideas, and feedback. Events like the Air Service Data Seminar are invaluable because they allow us to listen directly to the airport community and continuously refine our tools based on real-world needs.
If we connected in New Orleans, thank you for the conversation — we look forward to continuing it.
If we missed you at the event but would like to learn more about how FlightBI can support your air service strategy, we would be happy to schedule a conversation.
Thank you again to ACI-NA for hosting another outstanding seminar. We look forward to returning next year.