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Qatar Airways to host Iata annual meet in ’14

The International Air Transport Association (Iata) announced on Tuesday that Qatar Airways would host the 70th annual general meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit next year from June 1 to June 3.

The announcement came as Richard H. Anderson, CEO of Delta Air Lines, assumed his duties as the new chairman of the Iata Board of Governors.

Anderson succeeds Alan Joyce, CEO and managing director of Qantas Airways, whose one-year term expired at the conclusion of the 69th AGM and World Air Transport Summit in Cape Town.

“As I take on the chairmanship of the Iata Board of Governors, I look forward to working closely with Tony, with colleagues across our industry and with governments to promote the cause of aviation—the vitality of which is essential to the success of global trade and economic growth,” said Anderson.

Tony Tyler, Iata’s director general and CEO, said Qatar would be an ideal location for the 70th Iata AGM as it is at the heart of the fast-growing and dynamic Middle East region.

“The government understands the power of aviation to drive economic growth and development. And the country’s approach to aviation is a beacon for our industry. I am confident that its flagship airline, Qatar Airways, will host the world’s aviation community with the tremendous style and warm hospitality for which it has become famous,” said Tyler.

The event is set to draw the top leadership of the air transport industry to Doha in Qatar in June 2014. This will be the fourth time that the Iata AGM will be hosted in the Middle East following AGMs in Amman, Jordan (1997); Tehran, Iran (1970); and Cairo, Egypt (1946).

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker, who last year was voted onto the Iata Board of Governors, addressed the close of the Cape Town event after delegates were shown a glimpse of Qatar through a destination video.

“After a long 17 year gap, Iata is finally returning to the Middle East for their conference and I promise we won’t disappoint in their choice to bring this annual gathering of ours to my country. This is in recognition of the city and country fast emerging as a successful global aviation hub,” said Al Baker.

— issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com