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ISTANBUL – The 79th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit are taking place in Istanbul, Türkiye from June 4 to 6.
Hosted by Pegasus Airlines (PC), aviation industry leaders from around the world are in attendance for the event, which attracts the industry’s most senior leaders from among IATA’s more than 300 member airlines, as well as senior government officials, strategic partners, equipment suppliers, and media.
https://twitter.com/IATA/status/1664562423792017408
Industry Recovery
The annual meeting takes place as IATA reports a strong demand growth in air travel in its latest Passenger Market Analysis. According to the association, global traffic is now at 90.5% of pre-COVID-19 levels. At 81.3%, the industry load factor was only 1.8 percentage points below the pre-pandemic level.
Nevertheless, some headwinds persist. The closure of the Russian airspace to European and US carriers, the constraints in the aviation supply chain with delays in the deliveries of new aircraft, engines, and spares, and operational challenges in some key markets are among the topics to be discussed during the event.
“Connecting the world even as geopolitical divides deepen is a vital mission that requires profitable, safe, efficient, and sustainable airlines. The outcomes of this AGM must set the direction for even more effective global connectivity,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
World Air Transport Summit
The World Air Transport Summit (WATS) opens immediately following the AGM. A highlight will be the fourth edition of the Diversity and Inclusion Awards sponsored by Qatar Airways (QR). These awards recognize organizations and individuals who are making a difference in helping to drive the industry’s 25by2025 initiative to make the aviation industry more gender-balanced.
CEO Insights Panel moderated by CNN’s Richard Quest will feature Greg Foran, CEO, Air New Zealand (NZ), Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO, Rwandair (WB), John W. Dietrich CEO, Atlas Air (5Y), and Campbell Wilson, CEO, Air India (AI).
This will be the second time that the AGM is hosted in Istanbul, which was last hosted in 2008. Türkiye is rebounding strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. IATA cites that travel from and to Türkiye increased by nearly 60% compared to pre-pandemic levels, and ranks in the seventh position among the largest international passenger market in the world.
Aviation also played a major role in recent months in Türkiye when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria. Air transport facilitated humanitarian aid.
“Aviation came together to assist the people of Türkiye to rebuild after the tragic earthquake in February. Now aviation comes together to debate vital issues,” said Mehmet T. Nane, Chairperson, Pegasus Airlines, and Chair of the IATA Board of Governors.
Featured image: Moyan Brenn via Wikipedia, CC-BY 4.0
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