IATA News
IATA AGM 2026: Willie Walsh, Director General, International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Interviewed by Justin Cooke
IATA AGM 2026: Peter Cerdá, Regional Vice President The Americas Region, IATA
Interviewed by Justin Cooke
IATA AGM 2026: Rafael Schvartzman, Regional Vice President Europe Region, IATA
Interviewed by Justin Cooke
IATA AGM 2026: Thomas Reynaert, Senior Vice President, External Affairs, IATA
Interviewed by Justin Cooke
IATA AGM 2026: Marie Owens Thomsen, Senior Vice President Sustainability & Chief Economist, IATA
Interviewed by Justin Cooke
IATA AGM 2026: Kamil Al-Awadhi, Regional Vice President - Africa and the Middle East, IATA
Interviewed by Justin Cooke
IATA AGM 2026: Xie Xingquan, Regional Vice President, North Asia, IATA
Interviewed by Justin Cooke
Rio Takes Centre Stage as Global Aviation Leaders Gather for IATA AGM 2026
Rio de Janeiro this week welcomes the global aviation industry as host city for the 82nd International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit, bringing together airline chief executives, government ministers, regulators and industry leaders from around the world. Hosted by LATAM Airlines Group, the event comes at a pivotal moment for aviation. The industry is navigating geopolitical uncertainty, rising fuel costs, supply chain constraints, sustainability challenges and the accelerating impact of artificial intelligence, while continuing to respond to record levels of passenger demand.
EU Air Connectivity Flatlined Under High Costs and Onerous Regulation
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data showing that European air connectivity essentially flatlined in 2025 with a net 1% growth in the total number of routes connecting the continent (both internally and with other parts of the world). This is below the compound annual growth of 1.5% over the last decade. “The growth of airline route networks reflects both developments in demand and the operating environment. That the European Union (EU)’s air connectivity virtually flatlined in 2025 is no surprise.
Pika Aero and DGM France Win 2026 IATA CBTA Center Innovation Award
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Pika Aero and DGM France were each recognized as winners of this year’s IATA Competency-Based Training and Assessment Center (CBTA Center) Best Innovation Award.
EVA Air, Evergreen Air Cargo Services and Evergreen Airline Services Corp. Earn IATA CEIV
EVA Air, Evergreen Air Cargo Services (EGAC) and Evergreen Airline Services Corp. (EGAS), which collectively obtained CEIV Lithium Batteries from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in January this year, have once again joined forces to earn dual professional certifications for CEIV Fresh and CEIV Live Animals, becoming one of the few airline systems worldwide to simultaneously hold three accreditations across airline operations, cargo warehousing, and ground handling services. This achievement highlights EVA Air and its affiliated service companies’ strong integration capabilities and international-level service quality in special cargo transportation.
3.6% Air Passenger Growth in September
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for September 2025 global passenger demand with the following highlights: Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 3.6% compared to September 2024. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), was up 3.7% year-on-year. The September load factor was 83.4% (-0.1 ppt compared to September 2024).