“Future Lanes” is a special WiT Podcast series powered by Meili, a tech company that is rewriting the rules of ancillary distribution. The series, covering six episodes, is all about getting direct – cutting through the noise with unfiltered conversations on what’s shaping the next decade of travel. No fluff – just straight, feisty talk about what it takes to find your future lane in travel.
Listen to Episode 2:
“For me, an airport is a runway with a supermarket attached.” – Kenny Jacobs, CEO of DAA (Dublin and Cork Airport Authority)
The travel industry is at a crossroads. As passenger demand bounces back with renewed force, airports, airlines, and ancillary service providers are rethinking how they approach customer engagement, sustainability, and digital transformation.
In this episode, WiT founder Yeoh Siew Hoon and co-host Bobby Healy, co-founder of Meili, spoke with industry veteran, Kenny Jacobs, CEO of DAA (Dublin and Cork Airport Authority) and former CMO of Ryanair.
Together, they explored the complex landscape of modern airport operations, emerging trends in airport retail, and the role of technology in transforming the passenger experience.
“For me, an airport is a runway with a supermarket attached,” said Jacobs. “We’re on a big mission to really drive non-aero revenue… car parking, lounges, food and beverage, retailing—everything else we can charge for. That bit I like, because it drives us to be really, really innovative.”
Airports as retail and experience hubs
Gone are the days when airports were simply functional gateways. Today, they’re evolving into vibrant commercial hubs, where retail and entertainment take center stage. Jacobs highlighted that at Dublin Airport, revenue from non-aero activities (retail, parking, food, etc.) is critical, especially since it allows them to keep passenger charges low.
Jacobs described the transformation he’s leading: “We’re doubling the lounge capacity, adding new retail units, and rethinking food options. Two years ago, we were great at burgers and chicken sandwiches. Now we’re bringing in sushi, gelaterias, and a full Italian food quarter.” These changes reflect a broader industry trend where airports are becoming destinations in their own right, with travelers spending more time – and money – on site.
Healy agreed, noting the resilience of passenger demand: “Human desire to travel is always there, you can’t hold it back. And the human desire to buy cheap stuff, especially booze, is a great motivation. That’s what makes travel so resilient.”
The digital transformation of airport retail
One of the most significant changes on the horizon is the move to reclaim control of ancillary sales from airlines and connect directly with travelers. Jacobs envisions a future where the Dublin Airport app becomes the exclusive platform for purchasing add-ons like Fast Track, lounge access, and parking – turning the airport itself into a more direct-to-consumer brand.
“I want to give a really good go at what we did at Ryanair in terms of really increasing the ancillary revenue,” said Jacobs. “It’s about selling more stuff to more people going through our airports and putting a smile on their face.”
He explained that they’re focusing on growing revenue through digital channels – by creating a loyalty programme, using data to cross-sell and upsell, and integrating services into a streamlined app experience. “You want the app to be the only place that can tell you, with 100% confidence, which gate you’re going from, how long security will take, and what food and retail outlets are along the way.”
Healy emphasized the importance of digital innovation in airports, arguing that airports need to see themselves as retailers: “Any big retailer, like Tesco or Lidl, knows how to get a loyalty programme working. Airports have the same opportunity if they incentivize customers and build out their apps.”
Challenges of operating in Europe’s regulatory environment
While digital transformation offers exciting possibilities, European regulations present significant roadblocks. Both Jacobs and Healy criticized the bureaucratic delays and inconsistent rules across EU member states, particularly when it comes to airport capacity and sustainability measures.
“Over-regulation and a lack of joined-up thinking are real problems in Europe,” said Jacobs. “You have different countries with different restrictions… they end up making travel more expensive and less accessible to ordinary people.”
Jacobs argued that Europe’s disjointed approach to air travel risks alienating travelers and diminishing Europe’s competitiveness compared to regions like the Middle East, where infrastructure development is progressing rapidly.
He noted the stark contrast in Saudi Arabia, where DAA operates three airports, Riyadh, Jeddah and the Red Sea. “They have incredible ambition and speed. It reminds me of China 25 years ago,” he said. “There’s clarity, speed and joined-up thinking. They have huge finances, young talent, and a mission to build – Europe needs to pull its socks up.”
Learning from the world’s best airports
When it comes to imagining the airport of the future, Jacobs and Healy looked to Asia as an example, with Singapore’s Changi Airport frequently cited as the gold standard for its integration of retail, entertainment, and seamless digital experiences, and now its move to a passport-less future.
However, Jacobs wonders what’s the big deal about that. “I think it’s slightly overrated. When people say, ‘Wow, I went through an airport without using my passport. So what? It’s just a document you show if passport control works.”
He cited a few examples of airports that have impressed him – LaGuardia which has gone from a ‘developing countryirport’ to a complete makeover that’s “really phenomenal”; Bergamo, a small regional airport in Italy, that’s done an incredible job on “sense of place”; and on the food side, Lanarca in Cyprus, which has created a “decompression concept” to get passengers’ minds into a positive space.
He admitted that European airports like Dublin will “never have the infrastructure quality of Singapore because you can’t wipe the slate clean here and start again. But we can be really brilliant retailers and create a great passenger experience.”
The role of AI and biometrics in the future of travel
While airports globally are experimenting with artificial intelligence and biometric identification to enhance efficiency, Jacobs is cautious about embracing these technologies prematurely. He believes the biggest gains from AI in airports will come from back-end improvements, particularly in security and operational efficiency, rather than direct customer-facing applications.
“We’re taking a ‘fast follower’ approach,” Jacobs explained. “There are bigger airports with bigger IT budgets out there who will figure this out. We’ll let them do it first and then copy and paste.”
Healy, a tech entrepreneur, agreed that European airports are unlikely to lead in AI due to regulatory constraints: “If we were in China, it’d be a different story. But in Europe, even if the government allowed certain AI applications, the public wouldn’t accept it.”
The long-term vision: Urban-airport connectivity and expanding capacity
Looking forward, Jacobs outlined his ambitious vision for Dublin Airport as it moves towards a projected 50 million passengers annually. This vision includes integrating more public transit options, such as a long-awaited metro connection to downtown Dublin, and developing new infrastructure to expand passenger capacity.
“We’re going to need a 50 million-passenger airport, and the sooner we start planning it, the better,” said Jacobs. “Ireland is a young, fast-growing economy, and our infrastructure has to support that.”
In a bold forecast, he speculated about future connections to airports from urban centers via electric air shuttles, allowing travellers to bypass traditional ground transport entirely. “Imagine boarding a drone downtown and arriving airside, ready to go through security and board your flight. That’s the kind of thing we’ll see in the next 25 years.”
Remove the friction, then add the magic
The future of airports lies at the intersection of retail innovation, digital transformation, and infrastructure development. With leaders like Jacobs pushing for direct-to-consumer models and new technologies, and advocates like Healy championing tech-enabled customer experiences, airports are on the verge of becoming much more than transportation hubs. They’re poised to evolve into vibrant, high-tech spaces that offer not just convenience but a compelling experience for travellers.
As Jacobs summarized, “Selling more stuff to people and making them smile – that’s the goal. But it all starts with nailing the basics: get people through security quickly, keep the environment clean, and remove as much friction as possible. Then we can start adding the magic.”
