IATA to Hold Virtual AGM; Cancels Transport Summit

The International Air Transport Association (Iata) said that its 76th Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place November 24, 2020, as a virtual event and that the accompanying World Air Transport Summit (WATS) has been cancelled for 2020.

All member airlines, invited industry partners/stakeholders and media will be able to participate virtually in the AGM, that will be hosted by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines from Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

“The decision to cancel the in-person AGM has not been taken lightly and in no way is a reflection on the hospitality of the Netherlands, nor our host carrier, KLM. When we postponed this year’s AGM from June until November, it was with the expectation that government restrictions on travel would have been sufficiently eased to enable a physical meeting. That now seems unlikely and alternative plans for a virtual event are being activated,” said IATA’s Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac.

“This will be one of our most important AGMs. The industry is in the deepest crisis in its history. And it is more important than ever for the industry to have this meeting serve as a rallying call of resilience as we find solutions to safely open borders and re-establish global connectivity, ensure vital cargo lanes; and build a sustainable future from the destruction of the virus,” said de Juniac. – TradeArabia News Service