Air Canada, Virgin Australia and SAS to compete in ‘Battle of the Airline Apps’ at WAF 2026 | Air Canada, Virgin Australia and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) have been named finalists in the World Aviation Festival’s Battle of the Airline Apps competition, set to take place during WAF 2026 from 13-15 October in Lisbon.
The competition, which spotlights innovation in airline mobile technology, will challenge carriers to showcase how their apps are transforming the passenger journey – from booking and check-in to in-flight engagement and post-travel loyalty.
Representing the three finalists will be:
- Carlos Faxas, VP Digital Products, Air Canada
- Dan Fischer, Head of Digital Product, Strategy & Design, Virgin Australia
- Massimo Pascotto, VP Digital Customer Experience, SAS
The live competition will see each airline present and defend its mobile app strategy before a panel of industry experts including:
- Suzanna Chiu, Head of Amadeus Ventures, Amadeus
- Ann Cederhall, Owner, LeapShift
- Mark Lenahan, Consultant, Lenahan Consulting Ltd
- Glenn Morgan, Partner, SkiesFifty
- Jonas von Kruechten, Principal Advisor, Dgtlsky
“The real value of the competition lies in hearing airlines explain their design choices and digital investments,” said Daniel Boyle, General Manager of Transport at WAF organiser Terrapinn. “This year, three very different carriers will put their mobile strategies before the judges, giving attendees a closer look at some of the brightest approaches shaping how airlines interact with their customers.”
The Battle of the Airline Apps forms part of the World Aviation Festival’s three-day programme, featuring 600 speakers across sixteen conference tracks and bringing together more than 4,500 aviation professionals.
Air Canada, Virgin Australia and SAS to compete in ‘Battle of the Airline Apps’ at WAF 2026 | AviationGhana
