INDIA. Welcome to our coverage of the 2026 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference and Awards, held this year in vibrant Bengaluru in partnership with our host, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL).

The Moodie Davitt Report-owned event this year proudly celebrated its 15th anniversary.

The world’s only airport food & beverage and hospitality conference took place in the superb, BIAL-run, five-star Taj Bangalore on 7/8 July.

Despite an intensely difficult geo-political environment, FAB 2026 drew more than 250 registered delegates travelling from all corners of the airport F&B and hospitality world.

View the high-class speaker line-up and other event details on our dedicated event website here.

Below, you can enjoy our full extensive coverage of the absolutely FAB-ulous conference, awards and social events in words and images.

9 July

**Time to say a fond farewell to Bengaluru, the wonderful airport that is Kempegowda International Airport, and the creative genius who is Payal Khanna**

Aura Dezyne Founder, Visionary and Creative Strategist Payal Khanna (centre) with The Moodie Davitt Report Strategic Partnerships Lead Christelle Hill and Martin Moodie in the Gate Z Lounge. Last night, Khanna received the FAB Storyteller and Designer of the Year Award due to the extraordinary lounge experiences she has created at Kempegowda International Airport. This one, targeted as the name implies at Gen Z consumers, is no exception – spectacular.

**Payal Khanna and Martin Moodie enjoy some lighter (and brighter) moments in the Gate Z Lounge**

**Time for some excellent retail therapy and local flavour at Bengaluru Duty Free (a joint venture between Avolta and Bangalore International Airport Limited)**

**Terminal in a Garden: Martin Moodie takes in some of the beautiful greenery that is an unforgettable hallmark of Kempegowda International Airport**

What a FAB-ulous send off. Martin Moodie joins in a lovely celebration of FAB’s success at event venue Taj Bangalore, where he, along with Bangalore International Airport Limited and Taj Bangalore leadership, praised the magnificent contribution of staff to a wonderful FAB 2026.

A proud moment for Martin Moodie as he poses for a photo with Taj Bangalore Executive Chef R. Deva Kumar. This outstanding professional, who has more than two decades of luxury hospitality experience, oversaw the supreme food & beverage offer provided throughout FAB 2026 as well as at the Taj Bangalore, where most international delegates stayed.

8 July

FAB 2027 will take place in Antalya, Türkiye on 3-4 June. A handover of gifts from this year’s hosts to next year’s is pictured, featuring (from left) Dermot Davitt; Fraport TAV Antalya Airport General Manager Dr Frank Quante; TAV Operation Services CEO and TAV Airports Holding Chief Commercial Officer Aude Ferrand; BTA Food and Services Group CEO Baha Bülbül; Bangalore International Airport Limited Managing Director & CEO Hari Marar; and Martin Moodie.

Gala Dinner and FAB Awards Ceremony

**The class of FAB 2026: This year’s winners gather on stage for a commemorative photograph**

Singapore Changi Airport has claimed the highest accolade at the 2026 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Awards, taking the coveted Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year title in recognition of an F&B proposition that sets a global benchmark for the travel hospitality sector.

Presented by The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt, the awards reflected another landmark year for the global travel food, beverage and hospitality industry. We received more than 450 entries across the FAB Awards and FAB Superstars Awards, representing the highest level of participation in the programme’s history.

The winners across the 25 awards categories were announced during a glittering Gala Dinner hosted by Bangalore International Airport Limited, with Avolta supporting the evening’s pre-Gala Cocktail Reception in brilliant style. See the full roll of honour here.

**All is set for a FAB-ulous Gala Dinner**

**A dazzling pre-Gala Dinner Cocktail Reception was hosted with warmth and style by Kempegowda International Airport supported with trademark hospitality by Avolta**

2026 FAB Superstars Awards

Exceptional frontline and back-of-house employees in the world of travel food & beverage were honoured during the Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference finale at the Taj Bangalore this afternoon.

Always a highlight of the conference and a very important opportunity for our industry to recognise, as Martin Moodie said on stage, “the individuals and teams – the greeters, the creators, the doers – who weave warmth, care and excellence into every interaction”.

See our story here for the full roll call.

**The awards culminated in the crowning of the FAB Superstar of the Year, “a role model for our industry”, SSP Norway Service Team Member at Oslo Airport Antonia Villanueva**

3.45pm Curating new passenger experiences in Saudi Arabia

Before inviting panellists to the stage, The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie shares some of his favourite memories from a visit to Saudi Arabia last year. Click here to read The Moodie Blog for his full account.

(From left) ALBAIK Food Systems Head of Brand Communication & Reputation Hassan Al-Bargi; Black & White Coffee Founder Reyad Moharraq; and MATARAT Holding General Manager Commercial Non-Aero Marcus Spahn discuss how Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is reshaping the airport hospitality landscape in a session moderated by The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie

“We want to create, replicate Saudi hospitality at our airports – we always say that the airports are the gateway to the country, the first and last impression,” says Spahn. “I think it is a very unique market in terms of the strong motivations from the government and clear strategy how the market will be developed. That combination of a strategic vision and a mostly young generation… makes a cocktail that is very powerful.”

Al-Bargi remarks: “Saudi culture’s bedrock is hospitality, so it’s in our DNA. It’s about time we’re seen for our capabilities – the way we’re able to compete, the way we’re able to show ourselves to the world.” On the secret behind ALBAIK’s success, he says: “Don’t communicate a product; communicate your values. Communicate what you stand for and what you believe in, then live up to that every day.”

What a FAB-ulous job the Bengaluru Airport Services Limited team did at the FAB Conference, ensuring all our delegates received first-class service for food & beverage and more. Our huge thanks go to this team of superstars. This picture is timely, taken just an hour before this year’s FAB Superstars Awards winners are announced.

2.30pm Leading the airport digital revolution

Joining Dermot Davitt on stage for a discussion on technology and its key role in passenger experience are (from left) GrayMatter Software Chief Executive Officer Vikas Gupta, Bangalore International Airport Limited Assistant Vice President & Head Digital Strategy Neeraj Manoria and iCoupon Director of Sales Global Viktoriya Soubra

Bangalore International Airport Limited Assistant Vice President & Head Digital Strategy Neeraj Manoria (above) and GrayMatter Software Chief Executive Officer Vikas Gupta, produced by GrayMatter for our event hosts. BLR Pulse is the official digital travel companion app for Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru, acting as an omnichannel digital buddy in the airport, with profoundly positive implications for convenience in areas including food & beverage. Already it has been used by an impressive 2 million passengers.

Leading global intelligent vouchering platform for aviation industry iCoupon serves more than 200 airlines and over 4,000 airport retail outlets across 400 airports. Director of Sales Victoriya Soubra gives this compelling view of the power of digital: “The most successful digital initiatives are no longer those that optimise one part of the passenger journey. They are the ones that connect the entire ecosystem. When airlines, airports, retailers and technology partners collaborate through a shared platform, passengers receive better experience, partners unlock new revenue, and the whole industry operates more efficiently.”

2pm Lagardère Travel Retail presents a global vision for F&B innovation

Lagardère Travel Retail Chief Commercial & Digital Officer Lylian Vignau (left) and Vice President Dining Marketing Christine Bony share the company’s global vision for airport F&B in a session moderated by The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt (right). Vignau notes: “Dining is probably one of the most dynamic categories within Lagardère Travel Retail. The market fundamentals are very strong. There is strong demand from passengers, and we’re also seeing landlords expand the space dedicated to dining.”

Bony (centre) observes: “Food is no longer only about nutrition; it’s also about vitality, energy and wellbeing. But consumers still want pleasure. I think the most winning concepts can mix both universes: ‘good for you’ and enjoyable to eat. Consumers continue to consider local food as something very trustable – ‘local’ remains a very strong symbol of trust – but at the same time the same consumers are more curious about the world.”

12.20pm Lunch hosted by Bengaluru Airport Services Limited and 080 Lounge

11.50am Airport lounges as cultural gateways

Chef, author and storyteller Ranveer Brar (far left) moderates a conversation on hyperlocal cuisine, micro-food systems and the future of responsible hospitality. The panel features (from second left) Bawri & Tipai Chef Amninder Sandhu; Farmlore Chef Johnson Ebenezer; Naar Chef Prateek Sadhu; Organic Mandya Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer Sahana Hegde; and Lavonne Academy of Baking Science and Pastry Arts Chef Vinesh Johny.

**Brar says: “Pride breeds the desire to be excellent. Excellence breeds quality. Quality breeds demand. Demand creates business, and that is how we build brands.”**

Palaash – located in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh – may be one of several restaurants created by Chef Amninder Sandhu, but it remains the one closest to her heart. Run by local women and embraced by the community, it embodies hospitality that extends beyond food. As Sandhu says, “People don’t ask you what you want to eat, they simply ask, ‘Have you eaten?’ That’s what differentiates that kind of hospitality. It’s not just a service, it’s a way of life.”

Bain or boon? Chef Johnson Ebenezer discusses sustainability as a driver of creativity. “I can’t control the farm or the rain, but I can control my kitchen,” he says. “Sustainability is adapting to what nature gives you, not forcing it to fit your plan. When you build a place that adapts to change, guests keep coming back. One visit becomes two, two becomes three – because every time there’s something new on the plate.”

Chef Abhijit Saha (third from right) – who manages the culinary experience at BIAL’s 080 lounges – joins the panellists on stage following the session. Introducing him, Brar says: “He’s the original icon of sustainable cooking in Bangalore.”

11.20am The strategy behind building world-class airport environments

In a compelling session moderated by The Moodie Davitt Report Managing Editor Ameesha Raizada (right), an excellent panel outlines a shift in what is needed to give passengers a better experience in food & beverage, retail and lounges across airports. On stage for the discussion are (from left) Plaza Premium Group Director of Strategic Initiatives & Business Development Mira Al-Hmoud; Malaysia Airports Senior General Manager Commercial Services Hani Ezra Hussin; Opula Chief Strategy and Growth Officer Jo Pennycuick; and Conceptional B.V. Associate Partner, Business Development Michiel Reuvers.

Plaza Premium Group Director of Strategic Initiatives & Business Development Mira Al-Hmoud: “With rich passenger data, we are able to develop a better understanding of what our passengers need, and to evolve, pivot and curate our experiences accordingly.”

Malaysia Airports Senior General Manager Commercial Services Hani Ezra Hussin: “We believe the future of airport hospitality isn’t about building more restaurants, it’s about designing experiences that travellers remember, inspires the stories they take home, and airports become places where every traveller feels a deep connection.”

Opula Chief Strategy and Growth Officer Jo Pennycuick: “Airports of the future should be designed as an ecosystem where architecture, operations, technology and retail come together in one experience.”

Conceptional B.V. Associate Partner, Business Development Michiel Reuvers: “Retail, food & beverage, lounges and design need to tell one story, and we don’t always see that in new terminal developments; sometimes these elements are run in silos and often they don’t connect during the design process.”

10.40am Creating a flightpath for airport F&B

Auran Founder & Principal Alex Avery explores the trends, opportunities and challenges shaping the future of airport F&B. He says: “The call to action here is really around transforming airport planning strategy from studying products and categories to one of total terminal hospitality.”

He adds, “F&B has really been that star performer on a year‑on‑year growth perspective. However, we need to recognise that we’re serving people across a whole different range of categories, so we have a common view on how we are allocating and distributing space.”

10.00am Refreshment Break hosted by Coca Cola

9.15am Where next for airport hospitality?

Joining The Moodie Davitt Report Managing Editor Ameesha Raizada (right) on stage for a key discussion on the future direction for airport hospitality are (from left) CAVU Experiences Director Matt Etchells; TAV Operation Services CEO and TAV Airports Holding Chief Commercial Officer Aude Ferrand; and Airport Dimensions Chief Operating Officer Errol McGlothan

**Airport Dimensions Chief Operating Officer Errol McGlothan: “The most compelling passenger experiences are increasingly going to be delivered by partnerships rather than single providers.”**

TAV Operation Services CEO and TAV Airports Holding Chief Commercial Officer Aude Ferrand: “The future of airport hospitality is not going to be operational or technological, but it will be experiential.”

CAVU Experiences Director Matt Etchells: “We still see opportunities come to the market on five- and seven-year terms and that’s really challenging with the level of investment that has to be put into airport lounges.”

8.45am Raising the bar in Indian airport food & beverage

A top-class panel is first up on stage today discussing big-picture food & beverage strategy across the burgeoning Indian airport sector. In conversation with Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt (right) are (from left) GMR Airports Limited Chief Commercial Officer – Non Aero Tarun Arora; Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia Vice President Customer Development Abhishek Gupta; Bangalore International Airport Limited Vice President Hospitality & Bengaluru Airport Services Limited CEO George Bennet Kuruvilla; and Adani Airport Holdings Limited Head of Business F&B and Semolina Kitchens CEO Chandan Tiwari.

7 July

6.45pm A FAB-ulous Opening Cocktail at Vista Lawn, Taj Bangalore

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**Delegates are immersed in India’s cultural heritage with a spectacular Kathak performance, one of the country’s oldest classical dance forms**

Travel Food Services (TFS) Managing Director & CEO Varun Kapur (centre) joins The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie (left) and President Dermot Davitt at the Opening Cocktail, hosted by Bangalore International Airport Limited in partnership with TFS and SSP

**A diverse food & beverage selection invites guests to sample authentic dishes from across the country**

**A sitar artist sets the mood as guests arrive for the Opening Cocktail on the Vista Lawn at Taj Bangalore**

**The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt and Strategic Partnerships Lead Christelle Hill enjoy the great Indian ‘wedding’ festivities**

**The Moodie Davitt Report Managing Editor Ameesha Raizada catches up with Flemingo Duty Free CEO Atul Ahuja**

**Guests discover an array of handcrafted souvenirs, from sparkling glass bangles and mirrorwork keepsake boxes to *potlis* (handbags)**

**Henna artists bring the timeless tradition of *mehendi* to life**

The Moodie Davitt Report women – (from left) Managing Editor Ameesha Raizada, Publisher Irene Revilla, Strategic Partnerships Lead Christelle Hill, Head of Events Vincci Chung and Senior Finance and Business Operations Manager Kristyn Branisel – celebrate the occasion in colourful Indian attire

**The photobooth proves a crowd favourite at the Opening Cocktail**

5.25pm Talking tenders: Redesigning the F&B programme at Brussels Airport

Brussels Airport Food and Beverage Manager Michiel Arnouts shares how the airport is preparing to redesign its entire food & beverage programme as its current operating contract comes to an end in 2029. Rather than simply retendering the business, Brussels Airport is using the opportunity to reshape its offer around three strategic pillars – Belgian authenticity, experiential hospitality and inclusivity.

Brussels Airport Food and Beverage Manager Michiel Arnouts led a session on the redesign of the food & beverage programme at the Belgian gateway. He explained that the airport has taken an unusually collaborative approach to developing the new tender, engaging not only with prospective operators but also directly with brands to test ideas, refine commercial terms and ensure the programme reflects market realities.

The goal, he said, is to create long-term partnerships and a future-ready F&B offer that delivers for passengers, operators and brands alike.

The tender is scheduled for publication in Q1 2027, with contracts due to be awarded in early 2028 ahead of the launch of the new programme in 2029. Read our wider news story on the tender here.

Arnouts says: “We want to show our Belgian heritage to everyone who’s visiting our airport… for people from abroad visiting Belgium for the first time, you want to see what Belgian heritage is all about. It’s also for Belgians that leave Belgium… to give them a final farewell.”

4.50pm A research-led approach to rethinking airport food & beverage

The session discussed the Travel F&B Fit (TFF) Diagnostic Lens developed by The Culinary Institute of America and tRetail Labs.

The framework takes a research-led approach to rethinking airport food & beverage environments, connecting operational performance with traveller wellbeing, emotional comfort and evolving hospitality demands.

Joining Dermot Davitt for the discussion, from left: Panoramic Advisory Director Mark Angela; tRetail Labs Founder & Chief Executive Officer Sushanta Das; Zurich University of Applied Sciences Professor for Hospitality Management Dr Thorsten Merkle; and Allresto Chief Executive Officer Andreas Reichert

It also integrates a wider set of indicators, including traveller wellbeing, emotional response, dwell behaviour, food perception, lounge expectations, sustainability considerations and overall hospitality experience.

Munich Airport is its first adopter of Travel F&B Fit, through its F&B subsidiary Allresto. In the image above, we see Allresto CEO Andreas Reichert explaining the bottom line and sustainability benefits of Travel F&B Fit. In the image below, Mark Angela underlines the framework’s potential impact.

4.40pm Trinity Intelligence Platform

PT&M Managing Director Éric Trichot brings FAB 2026 delegates up to date on the Trinity Intelligence Platform, the global airport commercial concessions intelligence platform announced at The Trinity Forum in Doha earlier this year. He says: “Airports want control, confidentiality and data sovereignty. Operators and brands want earlier signals before vendors are lost, and the Trinity Intelligence Platform must remain neutral, very light, and not intermediate.”

Trichot adds: “Several agreements have been signed or are under review, and contractual reviews obviously have taken longer than what we expected. The main topics were about confidentiality, data use, neutrality, and the legal approval is sometimes a bit complex. Therefore, we have decided to revise the timetable.”

3.20pm A new approach to F&B in Vienna Airport’s Southern Expansion

Vienna Airport Senior Vice President Center Management Philipp Ahrens and Viklari Consulting Managing Director Jonathan Doughty share the strategy behind the upcoming Vienna Airport Southern Expansion, which will involve around 4,000sq m of F&B space, including high-class concessions bringing a strong Viennese sense of place. The plans, which are set to come to fruition at the end of Q2 2027, put the airport guest at the centre of the dining experience.

2.40pm Insights into a Taste of Anatolia at Antalya Airport

Chef, Author & Gastronomy Researcher Ömür Akkor, BTA Food and Services Group CEO Baha Bülbül and Fraport TAV Antalya Airport General Manager Dr Frank Quante joined Dermot Davitt on stage to discuss one of the highlights of the superb food & beverage programme at Turkish Mediterranean coast travel hub, Antalya Airport.

At the heart of that project is a venture named Taste of Anatolia, a wonderful representation of regional cuisine in collaboration with Akkor.

Discussing Antolian cuisine and its fit for Antalya Airport are (from left) Chef, Author & Gastronomy Researcher Ömür Akkor; BTA Food and Services Group CEO Baha Bülbül; Fraport TAV Antalya Airport General Manager Dr Frank Quante; and Dermot Davitt. Bülbül presented a compelling insight to the remarkable rise of TAV Airports subsidiary BTA.

The concept offers travellers authentic regional flavours – such as Adana kebab, içli köfte (stuffed meatballs), and various mezes – highlighting Turkey’s rich culinary heritage.

**Chef, Author & Gastronomy Researcher Ömür Akkor shares his passion for Anatolian food**

The three panellists then shared insights into how a highly localised concept can succeed in an international airport, and how to condense a multitude of ingredients and flavours of Anatolian cuisine to an easy to understand and execute concept for the travel space.

Fraport TAV Antalya Airport General Manager Dr Frank Quante spoke about Türkiye’s great attraction as a destination, describing it as a “blessed region with blessed food”. He noted that only 300,000 Indians currently visit Antalya each year, and see this segment of passengers as an important target. “We bring the city’s holiday spirit, cultural depth and culinary richness into the passenger journey,” he said.

2.10pm Would you let AI run your kitchen?

Voiceback Analytics CEO & Managing Director Shubhra Misra (far right) moderates an engaging panel on AI’s growing role in airport F&B, featuring (from left) Accenture Managing Director Nishith Pathak; Voiceback Analytics Founder Manishi Sanwal; India Retails & Hospitality Private Limited CEO Naresh Sharma; and Paradise Food Court (Paradise Biryani) Vice President – Technology & Food Quality Rajeesh VR. Pathak says: “The question isn’t which is better – humans or AI. They complement each other. Human oversight isn’t about making every decision. It’s about making sure the model isn’t drifting away.”

Paradise Food Court (Paradise Biryani) Vice President – Technology & Food Quality Rajeesh VR (second from right) says the most effective AI systems combine automation with human oversight: “First the system recommends, and then we make it autonomous. But there is a human element to this. We design the system to monitor the exceptions and give feedback to the model so that it improves.”

Asked whether he would trust AI over instinct when making commercial decisions, IRHPL CEO Naresh Sharma (centre) says: “If there is a damage loss, it is always on cost. If it is a sales loss, it is always on selling price. I would look at it purely from that perspective. And if I had to go with the machine, I would do that.”

On unlocking the value of AI, Voiceback Analytics Founder Manishi Sanwal (second from left) says: “Collect the data with the purpose of the intelligence for which it will be used. Don’t just collect the data and then figure out how to use it.”

1.15pm Networking Lunch & Exhibiton hosed by Lagardère Travel Retail

**Martin Moodie with Plaza Premium Group Director of Strategic Initiatives & Business Development Mira Al-Hmoud during the lunch break**

It has been encouraging to see such strong attendance at FAB from airport companies globally. (From left) Martin Moodie is pictured with Incheon International Airport Corp’s Doosan Choi, who has attended most FABs since 2012, and Indonesian colleague Barnard Wiraharja from PT Bandara Internasional Batam. PT Bandara Internasional Batam is a joint-venture consortium established by Incheon International Airport Corporation to operate and develop Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam, Indonesia.

Costa Coffee Senior Travel Retail Manager – EMENA Phil Smeaton (right) pictured against a vibrant backdrop that hints at what is to come this evening at the Opening Cocktail hosted by Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru in partnership with SSP and TFS

12.45pm Visions on the future of airport lounges

George Bennet Kuruvilla (above left), Vice President Hospitality, Bangalore International Airport Limited & Chief Executive Officer, Bengaluru Airport Services Limited, leads a wide-ranging discussion on airport lounge experience, with the theme ‘designing desire’. Offering passionate views on the future direction of airport lounges are (from second left), Encalm Hospitality CEO Vikas Sharma; Aura Dezyne Founder, Visionary and Creative Strategist Payal Khanna; Plaza Premium Group Chief Commercial Officer Jonathan Song; and ARAYA Lounges by Travel Food Services Global Head Rajeev Panjwani.

**The audience is treated to a captivating video introducing Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru’s Gate Z in Terminal 2, a social lounge concept designed around Gen Z preferences**

From Terminal 1 lounges to the all-new Gate Z Lounge, every hospitality space in Bengaluru Airport tells a story of design, culture and unforgettable travel experiences. Discover how Aura Dezyne has transformed Bengaluru Airport’s lounges into destinations that inspire, connect and leave a lasting impression by clicking the YouTube video link above. This excellent video was created by today’s panellist, Payal Khanna.

12.15pm View from the top

Avolta CEO Northern, Central & Eastern Europe Walter Seib outlines five shifts shaping the future of airport food & beverage: evolving traveller expectations, changing commercial priorities, localisation, technology and sustainability as one unit, and finally, partnership. He concludes: “The future will depend on partnership. No operator can shape this era alone, no airport can unlock its full potential alone, and no brand can reach travellers effectively without understanding the airport context.”

“Airports concentrate time pressure, emotion, expectation, uncertainty and opportunity into one place, and when we get F&B right, we do more than serve a meal,” adds Seib. “To me, this is a challenge for our industry, but it is also a tremendous commercial opportunity, and the future belongs to operators who can translate changing capital needs into commercially strong, experience-led propositions.”

11.15am The inspirational Alina Alam, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Mitti Social Initiatives Foundation

An extraordinary session that will likely live forever in the minds of delegates as the inspirational Alina Alam, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Mitti Social Initiatives Foundation and Mitti Café joined Martin Moodie on stage.

“Mitti is a café where friendships are formed and love blooms,” says Alina Alam, delivering a powerful and poignant presentation lauding the magical abilities as opposed to disabilities of those who work in the Mitti Café chain

Alam is Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Mitti Social Initiatives Foundation, which runs Mitti Café, the world’s largest chain of cafés managed by people with physical, intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. The chain has a strong presence at Kempegowda International Airport.

Alina Alam pays warm tribute to Bangalore International Airport management, recognising their kindness, support and central role in the rise of Mitti Café from a humble single outlet (which comprised a small table, a broken umbrella and a smattering of drinks). “Give these wonderful people a round of applause,” she says, and the audience oblige.

Introducing Alam, Moodie, who described Mitti Café as the finest airport food & beverage chain in the world, said: “Alina is a personal heroine of mine and of many, a woman who in turn leads a team of heroes and heroines with immense conviction and courage, passion and humanity.”

Paying tribute to Martin Moodie, Alina Alam says: “Every time this man would come [to Bangalore Airport], he would hug every one of our team members, listen to them. Martin, the kind of awareness that you’ve enabled us to create has been huge, and that’s a gift that Bangalore International Airport has made possible for us by believing in us, and we love you.”

The Mitti Café team receive a standing ovation as they take to the stage. Speaking on stage to Martin Moodie, Alam reveals she would love to take her brand to other countries across the world. “You could make this possible for us,” she says, addressing The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman.

On Mitti staff he said: “Disabilities…. yes, but only on one level. But Mitti Café brings out the magic of their abilities. I have experienced not only love and warmth and kindness from them but also the most consummate, professional and memorable hospitality one could imagine.”

10.30am Networking Refreshment Break & Exhibition hosted by Coca-Cola

10.00am Tackling global challenges with local solutions

(From left) SSP UK & Ireland CEO Kari Daniels, TFS Managing Director & CEO Varun Kapur and SSP Continental Europe CEO Satya Menard discuss the role of F&B and lounges in enhancing the passenger experience and growing non-aero revenues, in a session moderated by The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt. Kapur highlights one of the sector’s key challenges: “The tension of cannibalisation is a very real thing. If lounges and F&B are not strategically aligned, every promotion becomes about how to bring that customer into my space at the expense of the other. You actually want to work together to create better passenger experiences, increase spend per passenger and, ultimately, make the commercial pie bigger for everyone.”

SSP Continental Europe CEO Satya Menard says: “We are in a more and more integrated world… airports cannot think in silos anymore. We have been working all the time to improve different units, restaurants and contracts, but it’s not the best way to increase value. We need to think in a much more integrated way and collaborate early on in the projects.” On what makes the sector so demanding, he added: “F&B has always been challenging. As we always say, you’re not as good as your best meal, you’re only as good as your last one. It’s a very demanding industry with a lot of attention to detail.”

“Competition is ever‑better and customer trends and demands are changing, so for us it’s about the proposition,” remarks SSP UK & Ireland CEO Kari Daniels. “How do we actually deliver great performance and satisfaction in order to grow? Concepts such as Shelby & Co. Bar and Restaurant – a concept inspired by the popular *Peaky Blinders* TV show – at Birmingham Airport offers a fabulous proposition for passengers. It’s different, and it has delivered double‑digit like‑for‑like growth compared to the previous concepts we had there.”

9.30am Qatar Airways Chief Retail & Hospitality Officer Thabet Musleh

Qatar Airways Chief Retail & Hospitality Officer Thabet Musleh shared fascinating insights into Qatar Duty Free’s approach to retail, lounges and food & beverage, grounded in a non-risk averse strategy to deliver what passengers want and need.

**Qatar Airways Chief Retail & Hospitality Officer Thabet Musleh in engaging, animated and often fun conversation with Martin Moodie**

**Thabet Musleh, looking sharp in Brunello Cucinelli, hammers home his obsession with creating a great guest experience**

In introducing Musleh, Moodie said, “I can think of few others individual in the history of the F&B sector who have been as instrumental in raising the stature of the sector.

“Thabet has a glorious obsession with creating firsts, of going – to borrow from the space analogy – where no man or woman has gone before.

Of seeking new frontiers (and winning myriad Frontier – and FAB – Awards) in dining, shopping, lounges and the whole consumer (or guest to use his favoured term) experience.”

“We like to disrupt the [travel retail] industry and understand the passenger flow,” Musleh said.

“We have to give them a reason to shop, we have to give them a reason to eat, we have to give them a reason to spend.”

Looking ahead to what’s coming for QDF, Musleh said: “Watch this space from a lounge point of view.”

He added there is much to come on the F&B front, with another “game-changing hybrid model” in partnership with a global retail brand at Hamad International Airport. “It is unbelievable,” Musleh proclaimed. “Wait until you see what’s coming.”

9.00am Welcome remarks from BIAL and a fireside chat

When asked by The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie about the responsibility of balancing a rapidly modernising India with the country’s rich heritage, Bangalore International Airport Limited Managing Director & CEO Hari Marar said: “While that might seem like a responsibility that weighs heavily on our shoulders, we’ve always seen it as a unique opportunity – an opportunity to reflect that duality in everything we do. On one hand, India is an ambitious nation making great strides in progress. On the other, it’s deeply rooted in culture. Representing that duality creates a whole new dimension to how airports can be built, and we’ve embraced it in the design of our airport.”

Marar adds: “The same philosophy is reflected in food & beverage. We want to bring the best international brands to our airport, while also giving local heroes a global stage. That serves two purposes: it allows visitors from around the world to experience these iconic local brands – such as The Rameshwaram Café and Central Tiffin Room – while giving people in the region a real sense of pride that they’re being celebrated at an airport that welcomes millions of travellers.”

Bangalore International Airport Limited Managing Director & CEO Hari Marar opens the Conference with his welcome remarks. He says: “Airports have become the world’s most powerful cultural stage, bringing with them both opportunity and responsibility. In the next era of competition, airports won’t be judged solely by how efficiently they move passengers, but by how memorable the journey is.”

“A competitor can study your processes and match your technology, but one thing nobody can copy is your soul,” adds Marar. “Increasingly, an airport’s soul is expressed through its hospitality, store design, food & beverage offer, storytelling and, above all, its front-line people. That’s why food & beverage is no longer just another part of the commercial offer – it’s a strategic expression of identity. The airports that succeed over the next decade won’t be those that look most like the rest of the world, but those that best reflect the cities and regions they serve.”

8.45am Welcome address

The Moodie Davitt Report Founder and Chairman Martin Moodie, President Dermot Davitt and Indian Managing Editor Ameesha Raizada kicked off conference proceedings this morning, including some words of welcome in Hindi and Kannada.

In his opening speech, Moodie, the creator of FAB back in January 2011, proclaimed his proudness to reach the 15th anniversary edition of the event.

He said, “Thank you Bangalore International Airport Limited for hosting us, supporting us, trusting us and being with us unswervingly on a journey to Bengaluru conducted amidst the most uncertain geo-political and industry conditions imaginable.

**The Moodie Davitt Report Chairman & Founder Martin Moodie gets the 2026 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference underway**

“To MD and CEO Hari Marar and your brilliant commercial team led by Kenneth [Guldbjerg], Pravat [Paikray] and colleagues, thank you for never losing faith even when the going got rough.

“As you know, for reasons I won’t go into here, the going got rough for me too but like you I vowed the show must go on. And indeed it has.”

Davitt said, “We welcome you all and we promise you a compelling two days of debate, discovery, education, engagement and the most FAB-ulous networking opportunity on the planet, with, of course, plenty of outstanding food, drinks and hospitality along the way.”

**Martin Moodie introduces his colleagues, President Dermot Davitt and Managing Editor Ameesha Raizada as they jointly welcome delegates**

“When we launched FAB 15 years ago, a key part of our mission was to enhance the airport food & beverage sector’s role from back stage to centre stage.

“We like to think that FAB has played a key role in how that has indeed happened. Airport F&B, you might contend, is now the star actor on that stage.”

Raizada said: “It has been great to see retail, food & beverage and lounges evolve in these past few years as a writer for The Moodie Davitt Report. We want to say a big thank you to all our sponsors, your support is transformative to the event and helps us deliver great quality standards.

“I look forward to working with Martin and Dermot to present the sessions in a great couple of days ahead.”

Watch the FAB 2026 opening film and take a journey through airport food & beverage around the world; edited by The Moodie Davitt Report Head of Digital Delivery Declan Moodie