In this IR Open Mic snip-it, Curtis Grad invites his guest Jonny Andersen, CEO of Aruba Airport Authority to peer into the magic mirror and bear his soul.

🌐 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 Grad invites his guest Jonny Andersen, CEO of Aruba Airport Authority to share crazy stories from his wide-ranging aviation career spanning Scandinavia, East Africa and the Caribbean.

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

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 Jonny Andersen, CEO of Aruba Airport Authority. From his early days with Scandinavian Airlines in northern Norway to airport leadership roles in Norway, Kenya, Curaçao and now Aruba, Jonny shares lessons from a truly international aviation career and explores how airports can unlock economic opportunity, improve the passenger journey, and build stronger connections between destinations and the world.

They dive into:
✈️ Jonny’s global aviation journey—from Scandinavian Airlines and Norway’s airport system to executive leadership in Kenya, Curaçao and Aruba.
🌍 The enormous potential of aviation in Africa, the challenges of connecting the continent, and Jonny’s experience helping Nairobi secure last-point-of-departure status for direct flights to the United States.
🏝️ What makes island airports different—and why tourism, route development and seamless passenger processing are so critical to destinations like Aruba.
🇺🇸 How U.S. preclearance gives Aruba a competitive advantage and how new technology is helping the airport cut passenger processing times and eliminate bottlenecks.
🤝 Why understanding both the airline and airport sides of the business—and building a strong global network—can make airport leaders more effective.

Timestamps:
4:13 From Norway to Kenya: Building a global aviation career
5:03 Aviation’s untapped potential across Africa
7:22 Connecting Nairobi and New York: Achieving last-point-of-departure status
14:52 From Curaçao to Aruba: Leading island airports
16:27 U.S. preclearance and transforming Aruba’s passenger journey
24:00 Crazy aviation stories: Twin Otters in northern Norway
27:48 Airlines, airports and who really owns the passenger experience
36:34 Networking, international careers and advice for aviation professionals
45:18 Magic Mirror: Rapid-fire questions with Jonny

🎧 Tune in for insider perspectives from airport and aviation thought leaders.
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💬 Like and Comment: How can airports use technology to make the passenger journey more seamless without losing the human element?
🌐 Visit https://www.modalisinfra.ca/openmic to hear more episodes and stay informed about the global aviation developments that matter to you.