79th IATA AGM: News Coverage
Rise in demand for travel in premium cabin sustainable
June 7th 2023
The trend of leisure passengers choosing to travel in premium cabins, reported recently by several carriers, including in the Asia-Pacific is sustainable, Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association told Orient Aviation on the sidelines of the 79th IATA AGM. Read More » Mentioning his experience as the CEO of British Airways from 2005 through the financial crisis in 2008, Walsh said that premium travel is the segment that was clearly robust through that period. “If I was betting on this, I would continue to bet on this”, said Walsh, explaining that currently there are a number of reasons supporting the trend, such as middle-class consumers generally having more disposable income and valuing the premium product.
Asia-Pacific to see increase In renewable fuel projects
In the next five years we might see the substantial rise of renewable fuel projects in Asia-Pacific, going well beyond the current production center in Singapore, says IATA. Publicly announced renewable fuel projects until 2028 include countries such as Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, as well as multiple planned investments in China, Australia, India, and Japan. Globally, the investments in renewable fuel projects were announced in 30 countries, with the total production capacity reaching 69 billion liters, said Hemant Mistry, Director of Energy Transition, IATA.
ANA is first Asia-Pacific carrier to join IATA’s Turbulence Aware Program
Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) is the pioneering Asia-Pacific carrier to join IATA’s Turbulence Aware Program. Globally 21 airlines participate in Turbulence Aware, sharing and getting real-time turbulence data helping helping to improve fight operations, minimize aircraft damage, keep fuel costs down, and keep passengers and crew safe. ANA will initially start providing data from its Boeing 737 aircraft with plans to expand to the rest of the fleet in the future.
Singapore Airlines and Xiamen Airlines to participate in Modern Airline Retailing Consortium
Singapore Airlines and Xiamen Airlines are two of 12 global airlines that are part of the IATA consortium developing the Modern Airline Retailing, described by Muhammad Albakri, IATA’s Senior VP, Financial Settlement and Distribution Services, as the future solution for the industry. Modern Airline Retailing, based on the “one single record” concept, will eradicate currently used standards such as E-Ticket used since the 1960s and 1970s and offer consumers continuous pricing flexibility while purchasing the ticket, as opposed to current technology allowing a maximum of 26 price points, says IATA.
