IATA slates 2019 annual meeting in Seoul

MANILA, Philippines — The annual general meeting (AGM) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the so-called ‘United Nations Conference on the Aviation Industry’, will be held in June next year in Seoul.

IATA just held its 74th Annual General Meeting in Sydney, Australia from June 2 to 5 and chose Korean Air to host next year’s IATA AGM.

It will be the first time that CEOs from more than 280 airlines from 120 countries all over the world will gather in Seoul at the same time. Officials from Korean Air, including Keehong Woo, vice president of Korean Air, attended this year’s annual general meeting.

Next year will mark the first time for the IATA AGM to be held in Korea. The year 2019 will be particularly special as it will mark the 50th anniversary of Korean Air and the 30th anniversary of the airline’s IATA membership.

“The aviation industry is looking forward to meeting in Seoul for the 75th IATA AGM. South Korea has a great story to promote. Strategic planning and foresight have positioned the country as a global hub for transport and logistics,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO. “I am confident that Korean Air will be a great host as Seoul is transformed into the capital of the global aviation industry during the AGM. We are also delighted to be in Seoul in the same year Korean Air celebrates its 50th anniversary.”

The IATA AGM is the largest airline industry conference that is attended by more than 1,000 aviation industry personnel from all over the world, including top management and executives of each member airline, aircraft manufacturers, and related companies. The IATA AGM will focus on the development of the international aviation industry and its problems, discussions on the economics and safety of the aviation industry, and the enhancement of friendship between member-airlines.

The Korean aviation industry is expected to become even more prominent as major concerned parties in the world’s aviation industry come to Korea. In addition, the IATA AGM will serve as a chance to exhibit the beauty and tourism infrastructure of Korea to the world. A boom in tourism, which will create additional economic effects and job positions, is also expected.

IATA, established in 1945, is an internationally cooperative organization with 287 private airlines from 120 countries. Its dual headquarters are located in Montreal, Canada and Geneva, Switzerland, and it has 54 offices in 53 countries around the world.

The association represents the development and interests of the aviation industry, such as policy development, regulation improvement, and business standardization in the international aviation industry. It also runs an audit program, IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit), to intensify flight safety.

Korean Air’s selection as the airline to host the next IATA AGM is a result of the airline’s role within IATA and the extended status of the Korean aviation industry. Joining IATA as the first airline member from Korea in January 1989, Korean Air will celebrate its 30th anniversary membership in next year. The airline has also served as a key member of four committees among the six IATA Industry Committees.