Make It Simple

IATA unveiled what it describes as its “transformative vision” for air travel during its World Passenger
Symposium (WPS) that’s been taking place in Dubai this week.

That vision is designed to enable IATA’s members to successfully accommodate a near doubling in demand for air travel over the next two decades.

According to IATA’s latest passenger forecast, some 7.2 billion air trips will take place in 2035, up from 3.8 billion in 2016.

Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO, said: “My dream journey through the airport would offer security processes that are both effective and convenient, constant communication that makes me aware of changes to my journey or opportunities nearby, and a more efficient way of identifying myself to the airline, security staff and border management.”

Speaking at the WPS in Dubai, de Juniac explained that the roadmap to turn this dream into reality is being developed through IATA’s Simplifying the Business (StB) program.

StB looks over the passenger experience from an end-to-end perspective across all processes, from shopping for travel, to the airport experience, to arriving at the destination, with a special focus on transformation.

Programs under the StB umbrella include smart security, NDC, ONE Order, Real-Time Interaction and One Identity.

And in this respect, IATA’s de Juniac called for air transport stakeholders to work together and embrace speed and innovation to meet the challenges of growth and rising passenger expectations.

“How do we move these concepts forward? The answer is in partnerships. Even as we implement today’s great ideas, we need to be looking for the next innovation that will make air travel even more compelling to the potential traveller. And we should be prepared to face a future where the cycle of innovation is continuously accelerating,” de Juniac said.

However, IATA’s boss warned that “no matter how much or how quickly we innovate our processes, there is no getting around the need to be both smart and quick in growing airport and airspace capacity.”
He cited rising congestion, particularly in Europe, while noting that fast growing areas including the Gulf region and China also face airspace capacity issues.

“I fear that we may be headed for an infrastructure crisis that will impact air travellers,” said de Juniac.
De Juniac told the Dubai audience: “Inadequate infrastructure negatively impacts the passenger experience in the form of flight delays, longer routes and inefficient schedules. Then there is the cost to economies of lost business opportunities, employment and social development. Remember aviation is a critical catalyst for economic and social development, supporting 63 million jobs and some $2.7 trillion in economic impact.”

However, he cited the recent historic agreement among member states of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to enable aviation to grow sustainably as an example of what can be achieved by working together.

“Where we have common interests, we can produce results,” de Juniac stated.

For more, go to http://www.iata.org .