Logan Meier never set out to work in aviation, but he fell into the industry and found an opportunity to make a difference.
He started working for Westfield in 2016 and was approached by the company’s airports division to help solve some challenges. Meier was intrigued by the challenges and soon found himself becoming more immersed in the field.
“Every day there’s someone flying for the first time or the 500th time and that entire experience has the opportunity to create and add to the magic of flight or have a really negative impact on the travel experience,” he said. “I get to play a part in having an impact on people’s experience that I personally feel is magical.”
Meier has spent the last four years rethinking, reimagining and actively reshaping the airport experience.
As vice president of emerging technology at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Airports (URW Airports), Meier is on the frontlines of the multi-billion dollar overhaul of some of the world’s busiest airports. On a day-to-day basis, he provides airports like Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Chicago O’Hare (ORD) with digital leadership to challenge the status quo and enhance the experience, using technology to drive growth and achieve business goals.
Meier played a pivotal role in the launch of the LAX Digital Marketplace. He earned buy-in from the airport authority, dozens of airport stores, restaurants and operators and third-party stakeholders to ensure success. The LAX Digital Marketplace went live in 2019 to great fanfare.
For the first time, the LAX experience was available at a guest's fingertips, and that work has paid even larger dividends amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the LAX Digital Marketplace, all the pieces were already in place for the airport to go contactless.
Meier is working with URW’s airport partners to continue to innovate and support airports in restoring traveler confidence. And while technology will continue to be a driving force in the airport of the future, he believes partnership will be the true innovation that transforms the experience.
“I’m proud not just of the effort I put in, buy the contribution to building something bigger,” he said. “At my core, I like to build things and I like to build things bigger than they are today.”
