Addendum
Prestigious IATA annual gathering put on hold until late 2020
April 1st 2020
It was announced at the turn of the month that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) would postpone its 76th annual general meeting and World Air Transport Summit, to have been hosted this year by KLM in Amsterdam on June 22-23, until after the northern summer. Read More »
IATA said it anticipated the new date for the gathering would be in the late third or early fourth quarter of the year.
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“Our members are in the deepest crisis the air transport industry has ever faced,” the association leadership said in a statement at press time.
“With much of the passenger business grounded as part of the global fight against the coronavirus, many airlines are in a struggle to be viable.
“On the cargo side, many airlines are doing whatever they can to keep global supply chains moving with vital shipments, including those for medical supplies.
“We will come together as an industry when the freedom to travel has been restored and we can focus on air transport’s critical role in driving the economic and social recovery from this unprecedented crisis.”
The decision to postpone the global association’s annual gathering followed the recent cancellation of the 2020 annual conference of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) and biennial landmark industry event, July’s Farnborough Airshow.
CANSO director general, Simon Hocquard, said this week: “Our members are taking every step necessary to make sure we can continue to provide essential ATM services around the world”.
“Even today, there are about 5,000 aircraft in the sky at a given time. No matter how air traffic levels fluctuate, our work never stops.
“None of us can do this alone. ATM needs to come together with all our industry stakeholders, including airlines and airports, to have a joined up approach to ensure financial security and operational resilience to keep our skies safe.”
