Connectivity Innovators Poised to Shape the Future of Passenger Experience: APEX Board Candidates Lead Aviation’s Digital Frontier
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As aviation’s digital transformation accelerated, inflight connectivity shifted from a luxury feature to a standard expectation of modern air travel. Every message sent, movie streamed, and crew operation at 35,000 feet now relies on connectivity. For the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX), that shift marked a turning point.
The proposed addition of an APEX Board seat dedicated to major inflight connectivity providers reflects just how central connectivity has become to the passenger experience. As aviation moves deeper into the era of connected travel, APEX members will choose which of these candidates will help steer that next stage of innovation. This story profiles the three nominees: Nicholas Seitz of SpaceX Starlink, Michael DeMarco of SES, and Donald Buchman of Viasat. Each candidate brings a distinct perspective and expertise that reflect the innovation, diversity, and leadership driving today’s connectivity revolution.
Michael DeMarco, SES
SES has emerged as one of the key forces shaping the next generation of inflight connectivity, blending decades of satellite expertise with a renewed focus on aviation. A fter completing its merger with Intelsat in July 2025, SES strengthened its global presence and accelerated plans to bring multi-orbit connectivity to airlines around the world. At the helm is Michael DeMarco, Senior Vice President of Commercial Aviation at SES, who transitioned from Chief Commercial Officer at Intelsat to oversee the combined company’s aviation strategy.
“I decided to stay with the combined company and move from a chief commercial officer role at Intelsat to running aviation at SES because it’s an incredible opportunity to bring the two companies together,” DeMarco explained. “This allows us to clearly articulate our roadmap and show how we’ll continue improving services and the customer experience for our airline partners.”
For DeMarco, joining the APEX Board represents a chance to align SES’s innovation efforts with the broader passenger-experience community. “This association allows me to get more connected to what’s happening across the industry and to be more involved in developing standards,” he said. “It’s also a way to market what we’re doing, learn from others, and gain feedback in a safe, collaborative environment. It brings the entire ecosystem together.”
DeMarco believes serving on the APEX Board provides a unique platform for dialogue across airlines, suppliers, and competitors. “It’s a great platform to articulate how SES is going to market and how we’re driving solutions that improve the overall passenger experience,” he explained. “It keeps us aligned with airlines, competitors, and partners, and ensures we’re doing what we say we’re going to do.”
Before taking on his current role, DeMarco spent 25 years with PanAmSat, Intelsat, and now SES, building a career that spans engineering, operations, media, and mobility across the satellite industry. “My background is not traditional aviation,” he said. “I’ve managed everything from commercial mobility and media to network operations, which gives me a broad understanding of how all the pieces come together, on both the front and back end of how connectivity gets delivered.”
Looking to the future, DeMarco acknowledged the competitive landscape driven by new players. “The sector is being completely disrupted by the hyperscalers, with Starlink already online and Amazon Kuiper coming,” he said. “Every current provider has to up their game and have a future-proof roadmap that differentiates them from these new entrants.”
He added that SES’s path forward lies in its multi-orbit strategy and ongoing innovation. “We’re rolling out multi-orbit services and continuing to enhance what we deliver,” DeMarco said. “Our goal is to make solutions simple for airlines, keep partners aligned, and deliver improvements quickly. There’s room for everyone, but we need strong standards and collaboration to make seamless connectivity a reality.”
Nicholas Seitz, SpaceX Starlink
SpaceX Starlink has quickly become one of aviation’s most transformative forces, setting new expectations for what inflight connectivity can deliver. Its expanding global satellite network brings high-speed, low-latency internet to aircraft across continents and oceans, turning what was once a premium add-on into a vital part of the passenger experience. SpaceX has created a new standard for inflight connectivity. Leading that mission is Nicholas Seitz, Global Head of Starlink Aviation, who joined the company after an eight-year run at T-Mobile.
“When I joined SpaceX about two years ago, Starlink had roughly 250 aircraft under contract,” Seitz said. “Since then, we’ve seen tremendous growth, and that came from really listening to what airlines wanted and shaping our approach around their needs. Now, I’m excited to help the wider industry adapt to the capabilities of high-speed, low-latency internet as it becomes the new standard for aircraft.”
At T-Mobile, Seitz oversaw the company’s move to make inflight Wi-Fi free for its subscribers. That effort made T-Mobile the world’s largest buyer of inflight connectivity, investing over $350 million annually in network access through providers including Viasat, Intelsat, and Panasonic. “When we first started subsidizing Wi-Fi back in 2017, it was seen as a luxury,” he explained. “People knew it was expensive, so few actually paid for it. But once we made it free, customers saw real value in staying connected while traveling. It became one of the biggest drivers of loyalty across T-Mobile’s business.”
That experience shaped his perspective on connectivity as both a passenger amenity and a business opportunity. “We learned how to commercialize engagement in new ways. Applying that thinking to aviation opened the door for airlines to find new value in connectivity, not just in happier passengers, but in smarter partnerships and sponsorship models that make Wi-Fi free for everyone.”
Seitz sees connectivity as a unifying force in aviation, one that bridges passenger expectations and airline innovation. “I want to help APEX members not only adapt to changing technology, but shape it proactively,” he said. “The next generation of inflight connectivity should become a measured competitive advantage for carriers and suppliers alike.”
Through Starlink Aviation, Seitz wants to help APEX members build on that progress as the industry transitions to true broadband in the sky. “Most inflight Wi-Fi today, outside of Starlink, is about as fast as 3G or slightly better than dial-up,” he explained. “That limits what passengers and airlines can do. Our goal is to help airlines move to a new standard, one that lets passengers do everything they would at home, while enabling new commercial and operational tools onboard.”
Seitz emphasized the importance of collaboration across the passenger experience ecosystem, noting that serving on the APEX Board means “working with everyone: airlines, IFE partners, seat manufacturers, and even OEMs, to remain aligned.” He pointed to streaming rights as one example where Starlink’s vertically integrated system can make a difference. “Passengers often face restrictions because of regional licensing,” he said. “With Starlink’s network, from satellites to software, we can pinpoint an aircraft’s location and help content partners deliver what passengers want.”
Beyond technology, Seitz said SpaceX’s goal is broader. “We want to help the entire industry reach healthier bottom lines. High-quality connectivity can give airlines access to the same high-margin opportunities long available on the ground.”
Donald Buchman, Viasat
For more than a decade, Viasat has helped shape what passengers expect from inflight Wi-Fi. With its fast satellite network and strong airline partnerships, the company made the “home experience in the sky” a reality, giving travelers reliable, high-quality internet wherever they fly. Donald Buchman, Vice President and General Manager of Commercial Aviation at Viasat, leads that transformation and has spent more than two decades advancing the role of connectivity in passenger experience.
“Connectivity no longer represents a differentiator. It is a baseline expectation,” Buchman said. “The real challenge lies in ensuring that every passenger experiences high-quality performance consistently, flight after flight. That’s where Viasat has invested, and that’s the mindset I would bring to the APEX Board, solutions grounded in measurable improvement for airlines and their customers.”
Buchman’s experience with Viasat spans the company’s growth from its early business aviation services to global commercial partnerships. “I’ve led Viasat’s Commercial Aviation business since its inception, guiding the development and deployment of high-speed systems that redefined what passengers expect from Wi-Fi in the sky,” he explained. “It’s been rewarding to see how technology, implementation, and customer experience all intersect to create meaningful change for travelers.”
His leadership approach is rooted in collaboration and long-term vision. “Over my 26 years at Viasat, I’ve had the privilege to lead diverse teams and drive strategic initiatives that helped make Viasat a global leader in aviation connectivity,” Buchman said. “I’ve also worked closely with industry partners and organizations like APEX to align on standards, innovation, and shared goals.”
He views the APEX Board as a platform to strengthen collaboration between connectivity providers, airlines, and content partners. “When technology works seamlessly, passengers feel it,” Buchman explained. “The task before us is to make that consistency universal.”
Reflecting on his motivation to serve, Buchman added, “Viasat’s mission has always been about connecting every passenger, everywhere, with a high-quality experience they can depend on. Joining the APEX Board would be an opportunity to extend that mission, helping the entire industry deliver connectivity that performs predictably, scales globally, and creates measurable value for airlines and their customers.”
Turning Connection into Progress
While the candidates come from different networks and strategies, Seitz, DeMarco, and Buchman share a common goal: making connectivity something that truly improves the passenger journey.
For each candidate, success means more than stronger bandwidth. It is about creating better experiences where passengers stay connected, airlines operate efficiently, and technology works seamlessly in the background.
Their shared focus on transparency, collaboration, and clear standards reflects APEX’s mission to keep advancing the passenger experience through real innovation. The creation of a dedicated connectivity seat on the 2025–2026 APEX Board shows how far the industry has come, recognizing inflight connectivity as core infrastructure rather than an added amenity.
Together, these three leaders represent the growing influence of connectivity within APEX and across the aviation industry. Each nominee offered a unique perspective, yet together they reflected the industry’s shared drive toward more connected, efficient, and passenger-focused travel.
A Vision for the Future
As APEX members prepare to vote, the new inflight connectivity seat stands as a marker of the industry’s progress and its potential.
“Connectivity unites every part of aviation, from operations and entertainment to communication and engagement,” said APEX/IFSA CEO Dr. Joe Leader. “The leaders from SpaceX Starlink, SES, and Viasat show how innovation and collaboration drive our industry forward. Their expertise reflects the spirit of APEX, connecting ideas, people, and possibilities to ensure that every flight brings the world closer together.”