IATA AGM Update
June 5th 2024
News from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual general meeting, which concluded on June 4, reports on a joint training program initiative between Airbus, Emirates and the airline lobby group, the Star Alliance’s adoption of IATA's Timatic AutoCheck system and a new fuel monitoring platform. Read More »
Airbus, Emirates Airline and IATA have launched a competency-based training and assessment (CBTA) program for the A350 type rating. “An initial cohort of 256 pilots will be trained in a new course at Emirates’ Training College in Dubai from July 2024,” a group statement said. Emirates, which has ordered 65 of the type, will commence A350 operations later this year. “Combining the expertise of Emirates, Airbus and IATA to design and deliver A350 type rating training is a unique opportunity,” IATA senior vice president operations, safety and security, Nick Careen, said. “Our joint aim is to fully utilise the benefits of CBTA to qualify pilots on the A350 in the most efficient and effective way possible.”
The Star Alliance is implementing IATA's Timatic AutoCheck system. It automatically verifies a passenger's travel documentation and speeds up one of the more time-consuming tasks in the check-in process. “We are delighted to partner with IATA in the Timatic AutoCheck platform. We believe it will not only boost operational efficiency for our member airlines but significantly improve the airport experience for customers, “Star Alliance CEO, Theo Panagiotoulias, said. “As travellers increasingly prioritise seamless journeys with minimum hassle, adoption of the Timatic platform is a significant step in the right direction.” Star Alliance expects to use Timatic AutoCheck to check about 370 million passenger travel documents a year. IATA director general, Willie Walsh, said: “Timatic AutoCheck represents another milestone in the pursuit of efficiency and convenience within the travel industry.”
The airline lobby group has launched an analytical tool, IATA FuelIS, which uses anonymised data to “optimise” airline fuel consumption. “Enabling airlines to benchmark their fuel performance against aggregated industry data allows them to understand where they excel and where they need to take action,” IATA's Careen said. Original Equipment Manufacturers can use FuelIS to gauge the fuel efficiency of their aircraft or engines against industry averages.
