The IATA 62nd Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit will be held in Paris from 4-6 June 2006. The tremendous surge in aircraft orders is encouraging for the future of the air transport industry.

It certainly reflects the optimism that characterises key markets such as China and India.

But whatever the region the keys to future successes remain straightforward: relentless focus on efficiency to achieve needed profitability as well as ever-improving the airline safety performance.

As in previous years, the first day (Monday 5 June) will include the State of the Industry presentation and a CEO roundtable moderated by Nik Gowing of BBC World. Tuesday 6 June will have four detailed sessions, all of which are open to the media, covering the following subjects:

Aviation Fuel - A general look at the market in terms of pricing, output and investment in refining capacity. This session will also address the prospects for alternative sources of fuel, hedging strategies in today’s market as well as how we can further improve operational efficiencies.

E-Ticketing - It is not just about accelerating the transition to e-ticketing. It is understanding the interline and other strategic issues that are shaping the industry as we move towards 100% electronic ticketing.

Quality - Cost efficiency is a prerequisite for profitability. But can profitability be achieved without a focus on quality? A look at industry trends for ensuring airline quality while at the same time “delivering what your brand promises.”

Safety - IATA’s Operational Safety Audit - IOSA - is rapidly becoming the worldwide standard for airline safety. This session is a roadmap to the benefits of IOSA and what is needed to get an airline over the bar.

The IATA Annual General Meeting is attended by approximately 600 aviation leaders, that number includes the majority of airline CEOs and their senior management delegations, as well as civil aviation groups, airports, manufacturers and NGOs.

A full media program and registration form will follow shortly. If you are considering attending from overseas this year, please do give us a heads up. In some cases we may be able to help with travel and hotel accommodation.
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