Cassie Schmid

As chief strategy officer, Cassie Schmid manages enterprise-wide strategic planning and performance management for the department of aviation. As part of this role, Schmid oversees the communications, guest experience, marketing and brand and strategic planning units. This is especially important as the airports prepare for the influx of visitors anticipated for the major events taking place in Philadelphia in 2026. In her free time, Schmid enjoys practicing breathwork and ice baths.

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Creating memorable moments: enhancing experience through guest passes

The PHL Wingmate Pass is an exclusive amenity granting non-ticketed guests access to the secure side of the airport. This program allows loved ones to share in meaningful airport experiences, such as accompanying family to their gates or planning heartfelt surprises for arriving friends. It also offers exclusive access to airport shops and restaurants. The presentation will showcase how the Wingmate Pass, supported by a strategic marketing and communications plan, has positioned PHL as an innovative, forward-thinking airport by creating memorable guest moments, driving incremental revenue and enhancing the airport's reputation as a leader in positive guest experiences.

The audience will learn:

• Enhanced guest experience: how a guest pass program improves the overall guest experience and fosters meaningful airport moments
• Increased revenue streams: guest pass programs boost revenue through additional spending at airport concessions and parking
• Effective marketing and communications: developing a strategic plan to increase program visibility, drive engagement, and grow revenue and brand
• Elevated airport reputation: offering innovative services like the Wingmate Pass elevates the airport's standing as a leader in positive guest experiences

Why airports need a strategy

The aviation industry is always in a state of flux. Airlines are developing new routes, with new aircraft and new network strategies. Some are successful and others struggle to keep afloat. Passenger expectations are developing and increasingly sophisticated, and the business of running an airport is developing too, with constant demands on limited resources and a need to adapt to increasingly fast developments in technology. All this mixed with global challenges such as regulation and sustainability make the management of an airport a very complex challenge. Airports need clear and deliverable strategic plans to navigate the turbulent waters of aviation.

The audience will learn:

• The impact and benefits of having a strategic plan that is focused on deliverable outcomes
• The importance of working with stakeholders and understanding their roles in the strategic plan
• How a well-thought-through strategic plan can add real value and benefits to an airport
• Simple methodologies for making a strategic plan really work
• Why an airport strategic plan can help with employee satisfaction and retention