RECORD-BREAKING IATA AGM SIGNALS BOOM TIMES

The IATA AGM at Istanbul was a time of celebration for the airline industry which was back from the deep dark abyss that it had been these past three years. But there were issues galore that caught the attention of a large number of delegates. A special report

IATA’s annual jamboree, this time in Orhan Pamuk’s Istanbul surpassed all expectations. In a remarkable display of industry enthusiasm and engagement attendance was at an all-time high of close to 1,600 delegates --an overwhelming response that promoted the organisers to close registration as the event, according to one media outlet,’’ exceeded the capacity limitations set by the venue’s insurance policy.’’

Of course, Director General Willie Walsh was delighted at the unprecedented turnout and in his typical style declared it the most well-attended IATA AGM in history. What the gathering reflected is the renewed confidence in aviation, the buoyancy of the airlines and the record profits that most of them are making across continents. The one thing that was consistently evident was the industry’s unwavering commitment to shaping the future of aviation.

Almost dead and buried under staggering losses from 2019, the airline industry is back after the most profound crisis in its history of over one century. “Latest data show passenger traffic in 2023 at over 90 per cent of 2019 levels”, said Walsh and added “We are expecting 4.4 billion passengers this year” – while 4.5 billion flew pre-pandemic.