Airline execs descend on Dubai for IATA annual meeting
Aircraft shortages, geopolitical tensions and carbon reduction strategies will be at the top of the agenda
An Emirates aircraft flies over Dubai. (Photo: Getty Images)
Over 1,500 airline executives will descend on Dubai, the world’s busiest international travel hub, this weekend, for the annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association.
The industry trade organization, which represents more than 300 airlines and over 80% of global air traffic, expects to grapple with airline chiefs’ biggest challenges over the three-day gathering.
At the top of the agenda are aircraft shortages, geopolitical tensions and carbon reduction strategies as declining airfares spell out a muted outlook for carriers.
The 80th IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit, hosted by Emirates Airline, will run from Sunday, June 2 through Tuesday, June 4, and is for the first time taking place in the UAE.
Expected to attend are CEOs including Vanessa Hudson of Qantas; Tim Clark of Emirates Airline; Scott Kirby, of United Airlines and Shai Weiss of Virgin Atlantic Airways.
Aviation is a linchpin of Dubai’s economic ambitions: the industry contributed 27% to the emirate’s GDP and supported $37 billion in gross value added in 2023.
That is projected to increase to $53 billion in 2030, in line with Dubai’s growth forecast, according to Oxford Economics.