Conference Programme

Wednesday, 9 December 2026

• 09:10 - 09:20

  Presentation of the Colors (Honor Guard)

• 09:20 - 09:25

  Welcome Address

• 09:25 - 09:45

  Opening Remarks

  Hear more about why TakeOff North America 2026 is taking place in Rogers, Arkansas.

• 09:50 - 10:10

  Keynote address: Reflections on the Regional Market

  Natasha Marquez, Director of Communications, Regional Airline Association (RAA)

  Gain expert insight into the current state of the regional market and potential future trends that could shape its future direction and the route development landscape.

• 10:15 - 10:35

  Keynote address: State of the Airport Industry

  Paul Eubanks, Senior Director, Air Policy, Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA)

• 10:50 - 11:15

  360-Degree Airport Marketing:

  Aligning Stakeholders, DMOs, and Community to Build the Regional Gateway

  • Moderator: Sonjia Murray, Managing Director, The Meehan Aviation Group
  • Zoe Lindemuth, Managing Director, The Meehan Aviation Group
  • Christina Cole, Senior Digital Aviation Strategist, Advance Aviation
  • Brian Torgersen, Airport Director, Provo Airport
  • Tim Baumgardner, Chief Strategist, Advance Travel & Tourism / Advance Aviation

  Airports are the primary economic front doors to their regions, and this panel uses Provo Airport’s (PVU) rapid transformation into one of the nation’s fastest-growing small hubs as a blueprint for what’s possible when marketing goes beyond the terminal.

  The session explores how a 360-degree marketing philosophy drives air service growth through synchronised branding, deep community alignment, and proactive stakeholder engagement. It unpacks the specific outreach campaigns that built local demand and filled seats, then moves to the next frontier: breaking down traditional silos between airport operations and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs). 

  Attendees will discover how shifting from a purely outbound “catchment area” mindset to a strategic inbound tourism focus can unlock shared budgets, capture high-value origin markets, and position the airport as the ultimate catalyst for regional economic development and inbound tourism.

• 12:05 - 12:25

  State of the wider market and current challenges: Economic Outlook

  John Heimlich, VP & Chief Economist, Airlines for America (A4A)

  John Heimlich will explore how airlines are addressing rising ownership costs, aging fleets, maintenance bottlenecks, and economic pressures while remaining profitable. He will share insights into strategies for efficiency, sustainability, and long-term growth in the competitive aviation market of 2027.

Thursday, 10 December 2026

• 09:00 - 09:20

  Airline briefing: Air Canada

• 09:25 - 09:45

  Airline briefing