The past 18 months have created an unprecedented challenge for the aviation industry. COVID-19 has crushed global connectivity, grounding thousands of aircraft, eliminating millions of jobs, and causing a debt burden the industry will take years to shed. But there are now faint glimmers of hope. With vaccination rates rapidly increasing, the prospects of a restart of our industry are growing more promising.
IATA, its members, and our partners have not stood still during the crisis. We have worked to develop products and services that the industry can benefit from and which will aid the restart of air connectivity. One of the prime examples is IATA Travel Pass, which has gone from a standing start to being one of the leading passenger Apps in just a few months. That could not have been achieved without a close partnership between IATA and industry suppliers.
Now more than ever, as we look to recover, our industry must work together for mutual benefit. No business connected to aviation ever succeeds alone—it requires effective partnerships.
As Director General, I want to see IATA responding to industry needs with speed and innovative solutions. We will lean heavily on our Strategic Partners for their expertise in pursuit of that aim. I’m looking forward to working with you.
Willie Walsh
