79th IATA Annual General Meeting & World Air Transport Summit are being held in Istanbul, hosted by IATA
The 79th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit will take place in Istanbul, Turkey, according to an announcement by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), with Pegasus Airlines serving as the host airline.
According to a press statement, the summit will be from June 4-6 and will attract 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.
Willie Walsh
“In a few days, Istanbul will become the aviation capital of the world. Airlines will meet to review the industry’s recovery from Covid-19, to plan the way forward to a more sustainable future, to discuss the opportunities for technology to drive efficiencies from modern retailing to improved facilitation, and to understand the common regulatory challenges they face. Aviation is important. 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,” says Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
“We are enormously proud to be hosting our industry partners in the great city of Istanbul and look forward to welcoming everyone here for the IATA AGM, particularly as we look ahead to our 100th aircraft milestone on the 100th anniversary of Republic of Türkiye later this year. 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 concerning our pathway to net-zero CO2 in 2050, the diversity of our industry, our operational recovery from the depths of COVID, and many other topics,” says Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Pegasus Airlines, and Chair of the IATA Board of Governors Mehmet T Nane.
The World Air Transport Summit immediately follows the AGM, with its ever-popular CEO Insights Panel moderated by CNN’s Richard Quest will feature Campbell Wilson, CEO and MD, of Air India, Greg Foran CEO of Air New Zealand, Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of Rwandair and John W Dietrich, President and CEO of Atlas Air Worldwide.
IATA adds that in addition to the updated industry economic outlook, key topics to be addressed include a ‘big picture’ view of challenges facing the industry with changing energy markets and shifting supply chains. Aviation’s contribution to Türkiye’s earthquake recovery and advances in sustainability are also to be included, with learnings from the 2022 operational challenges.
According to the statement, one of the highlights of the event will be 4th Diversity and Inclusion Awards, sponsored by Qatar Airways. The winners of these awards are recognised for their contributions to the industry’s “25by2025” campaign to promote gender parity in the aviation sector, says IATA.
This will be the second time that the AGM is being hosted in Istanbul, which last hosted in 2008. Türkiye is rebounding strongly from the pandemic shut down. In 2022 travel to and from Türkiye increased nearly 60 pc and it is now the 7th largest international passenger market in the world.
