International Air Transport Association (IATA) has gathered together for the 63rd time, the venue Vancouver, which also happens to be the home city of the oneworld alliance. ABTN will be reporting on the proceedings, spread over Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 June.
Britain”s ”big two” are represented at CEO level by Willie Walsh, of British Airways, and Nigel Turner of bmi, seen talking together prior to dinner on the first night.
IATA director general & CEO, Giovanni Bisignani, reiterated his call for re-education of the masses regarding the environment saying aircraft generate only 2% of the world”s carbon emissions. In the UK it is 6% of the total, although airline fuel consumption has dropped by 70% over the last 40 years.
Hosting the first night dinner Airbus chief operating officer, John Leahy, confirmed that the first six Airbus A380s would go to Singapore Airlines, with deliveries starting from October. Singapore-Sydney would be the first service ” an ideal operation for a new aircraft with around 16 hours flying time for the return journey.
The BBC”s Nik Gowing will act as moderator for the ”chief executive forum” with a panel that includes: Lufthansa CEO, Wolfgang Mayrhuber, Air Canada chairman, Robert Milton and Malaysia Airlines managing director, Idris Jala.
Further sessions include ”The Evironmental Challenge” with Nick Andrews of Fleishman Hillard in charge, and finally ”Making Sense of Security”, with another BBC man, this time Aaron Heslehurst.