Welcome to Open Mic, the airport- and aviation-focused podcast hosted by Curtis Grad, Chief Executive and Founding Partner of Modalis Infrastructure Partners. Each episode features in-depth conversations with global aviation leaders—airport executives, investors, innovators, and policy experts—exploring the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the airport and aviation landscape.

In this episode, Curtis speaks with Karen Ellis, Assistant General Manager of Customer Experience at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). Together, Curtis and Karen discuss customer experience leadership at scale, balancing technology with human connection and how intentional CX design drives satisfaction, resilience and revenue at the world’s busiest airport.

Curtis and Karen dive into:
✈️ Karen’s full-circle aviation career—from starting at ATL in 1997 to leadership roles in Houston and San Antonio, and returning home to Atlanta.
🌏 Building award-winning customer experience programs at medium and large hub airports, including ACI ASQ recognition and Hall of Fame honours.
🤝 Why customer experience must be embedded in airport design, operations, and commercial strategy from day one—not retrofitted after the fact.
💡 The evolving balance between technology and human interaction, from self-service tools to conflict resolution, accessibility, and de-escalation training.

Timestamps:
1:45  Wearing many hats at San Antonio International Airport
10:15  Rebuilding and rebranding customer experience at ATL
12:30  Training, staffing and creating a shared CX culture 
16:45  Crazy aviation story: Monkey on the loose!
24:30  Understanding airport personas
32:35 A career full of accolades
35:45  Magic Mirror: Rapid-fire questions with Karen

🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.
🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.
💬 Like and Comment: How can large hub airports maintain a human-centered customer experience at scale?

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis challenges Piervittorio Farabbi, Chief Operating Officer of Tirana Int'l Airport in Tirana, Albania with a random selection of fun and frivolous rapid-fire "Magic Mirror" questions.

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear this full-length interview with Piervittorio, as well as future IR Open Mic Podcast episodes.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis asks  Piervittorio Farabbi, Chief Operating Officer of Tirana Int'l Airport in Tirana, Albania to share his craziest story from from his varied and intriguing career the airport sector.

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear this full-length interview with Piervittorio, as well as future IR Open Mic Podcast episodes.

Welcome to Open Mic, the airport- and aviation-focused podcast hosted by Curtis Grad, Chief Executive and Founding Partner of Modalis Infrastructure Partners. Each episode features in-depth conversations with global aviation leaders—airport executives, investors, innovators, and policy experts—exploring the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the airport and aviation landscape.

In this episode, Curtis speaks with Piervittorio Farabbi, Chief Operating Officer of Tirana International Airport, Albania’s primary international gateway. Together, Curtis and Piervittorio discuss airport privatization, managing exponential traffic growth, and what it takes to scale infrastructure, operations, and airspace at one of Europe’s fastest-growing airports.

They dive into:
✈️ Piervittorio’s global career journey—from airport master planning and consulting at Landrum & Brown and IATA to senior airport leadership roles across Italy and the Balkans.
🌍 Tirana International Airport’s extraordinary growth—from 3.3 million passengers in 2019 to nearly 12 million today—and what enabled Europe’s fastest-growing airport.
🏗️ The role of private concessionaires, including the Kastrati Group, in unlocking untapped demand, accelerating investment and modernizing infrastructure.
🧠 Managing complexity at scale: airspace constraints, fuel supply, terminals, master planning and stakeholder coordination during hyper-growth.
🏛️ Albania’s transformation—from a closed communist state to an emerging European tourism and connectivity hub—and how history, culture and geography shape aviation demand.

Timestamps
1:30 Piervittorio’s career path from consulting to airport operations
7:00 Returning home: leading regional airports in Italy
9:50 Taking on operations leadership at Tirana International Airport and explosive passenger growth 
12:57 The Kastrati Group and the power of private airport concessions
16:39 Diaspora traffic, tourism growth and route development
18:18 Crazy aviation stories from Perugia and Nigeria
22:29 Albania’s history, architecture and national identity
27:30 Magic Mirror: Rapid-fire questions with Piervittorio

🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.
🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.
💬 Like and Comment: What role should private concessionaires play in scaling airport capacity across Europe?
🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis challenges Elizabeth Brown, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Victoria Airport Authority with a random selection of fun and frivolous rapid-fire "Magic Mirror" questions.

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear this full-length interview with Elizabeth, as well as future IR Open Mic Podcast episodes.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis asks Elizabeth Brown, President & CEO of Victoria Airport Authority,  to share her craziest story from her varied and intriguing career in the airport sector.

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear this full-length interview with Elizabeth, as well as future IR Open Mic Podcast episodes.

In this episode, Curtis chats with Elizabeth Brown, President & CEO of Victoria Airport Authority, operator of Victoria Int'l Airport (YYJ) in British Columbia, Canada. Together, Curtis and Elizabeth discuss global airport leadership, crisis management and how her experiences in Jamaica, California, Florida and Mexico are shaping the future of Victoria International Airport.

They dive into:
✈️ Elizabeth’s international career journey—from Edmonton to Montego Bay, Cross Border Xpress, Orlando Sanford and back home to Victoria. 
🌏 Rebuilding after shocks: from an attempted hijacking and hurricanes in Jamaica to planning for growth and resilience at YYJ. 
🤝 How Cross Border Xpress (CBX) unlocked a new model of binational airport access and what it taught her about partnerships, logistics and passenger experience. 
💡 The future of Victoria International Airport—runway needs, changing fleets, accessibility, regulatory pressures and the role of private capital in Canadian airports. 
Timestamps:

01:15 From Mexico at 13 years of age to Edmonton International: finding a career in airports
07:25 Attempted hijacking in Jamaica and lessons in crisis management and media relations
13:00 Returning to Canada and leading Victoria International Airport (YYJ)
18:00 Cross Border Xpress (CBX): a binational terminal reinventing border travel
30:00 A transformative commercial program at Montego Bay
36:00 Orlando Sanford, ultra-low-cost carriers and competing with major hubs
39:30 Private sector participation in Canadian and U.S. airports
46:00 Magic Mirror: Rapid-fire questions with Elizabeth

🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.
🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.
💬 Like and Comment: What’s the most important lesson Canadian and U.S. airports can learn from international privatization models?
🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis peppers Athanasios Titonis, Chief Executive Officer of Aboitiz Operating Airports, operator of Mactan–Cebu Int'l Airport, Bohol–Panglao Int'l Airport and Laguindingan Airport in the Philippines with a round of fun and frivolous rapid-fire "Magic Mirror" questions.

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear this full-length interview with Athanasios, as well as future IR Open Mic Podcast episodes.

In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis asks Athanasios Titonis, Chief Executive Officer of Aboitiz Operating Airports, operator of Mactan–Cebu Int'l Airport, Bohol–Panglao Int'l Airport and Laguindingan Airport in the Philippines to share his craziest story from his long and varied career in the airport business.

🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear this full-length interview with Athanasios, as well as future IR Open Mic Podcast episodes.

Welcome to Open Mic, the airport- and aviation-focused podcast hosted by Curtis Grad, Chief Executive and Founding Partner of Modalis Infrastructure Partners. Each episode features in-depth conversations with global aviation leaders—airport executives, investors, innovators, and policy experts—exploring the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the airport and aviation landscape.

In this episode, Curtis sits down with Athanasios Titonis, Chief Executive Officer of Aboitiz Operating Airports, operator of Mactan–Cebu International Airport, Bohol–Panglao International Airport and Laguindingan Airport in the Philippines. Together Curtis and Athanasios discuss crisis leadership, airport privatization and Aboitiz’s aspirations of transforming aviation in the Philippines. 

They dive into:
✈️ How Cebu’s airport team managed a real-time earthquake crisis and what it revealed about crisis management and teamwork.
🌏 The “Cebu Connect” strategy which links air and sea transport to create a national tourism and transfer hub.
🤝 The growing role of Aboitiz and international investors in modernizing Philippine airports.
💡 How AI and digital innovation are reshaping airport operations while keeping people at the heart of aviation.

Timestamps:
00:00  Intro – Welcome to Open Mic
02:15  Earthquake response and crisis management at CEB
10:20  Transforming Philippine aviation
23:00 The role of AI and the continuing importance of people in airport operations
25:00  Learnings from previous roles
33:45 Magic Mirror: Getting to know Athanasios

🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.
🔔 Subscribe for future episodes.
💬 Like and Comment: What’s the biggest challenge or opportunity you see for airport privatization in Asia?
🌐 Visit https://airportir.com/open-mic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.