JEDDAH – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Qatar Airways will host the 70th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit. The event will draw the top leadership of the air transport industry to Doha, Qatar on June 1–3, 2014. “Qatar will be a fantastic location for the 70th IATA AGM. It is at the heart of the fast-growing and dynamic Middle East region. The government understands the power of aviation to drive economic growth and development. And the country's approach to aviation is a beacon for our industry. I am confident that its flagship airline, Qatar Airways, will host the world's aviation community with the tremendous style and warm hospitality for which it has become famous,” said Tony Tyler, IATA's Director General and CEO. IATA's member airlines accepted the invitation of Qatar Airways to host the AGM in 2014 at the close of the 69th IATA AGM in Cape Town, South Africa. Qatar Airways has been an IATA member since 1997. In 2004, it became the first airline to join the registry of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). And Qatar Airways CEO, Akbar Al Baker, has served on the IATA Board of Governors since 2012. This will be the fourth time that the IATA AGM will be hosted in the Middle East following AGMs in Amman, Jordan (1997), Tehran, Iran (1970) and Cairo, Egypt (1946). “Bringing the IATA AGM to Doha is a great honor for the State of Qatar and for Qatar Airways. It is recognition of Qatar developing as a fast emerging and successful global aviation hub. As a member of the IATA Board of Governors, I continue my commitment and dedication to support IATA members in the region and globally as Qatar Airways continues to grow in its role as a leading international network airline of choice. We look forward to aviation industry leaders witnessing the new infrastructural developments in the country, especially the state-of-the-art facilities at Hamad International Airport, the world's newest airport gateway,” said Al Baker. The 69th Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit in Cape Town attracted some 700 aviation leaders from among IATA's 240 member airlines and industry stakeholders and strategic partners. It also attracted the attendance of over 200 journalists representing major media outlets from around the world. — SG
