The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that the 78th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit will be held on June 19-21, 2022, in Doha, Qatar and to be hosted by Qatar Airways.
According to a statement made available by IATA, this will be the second time the global gathering of aviation’s top leaders will be held in Qatar; the first being in 2014. Originally, the 78th IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit were planned for the same dates in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, hosted by China Eastern Airlines.
However, the decision to change the venue reflects continuing COVID-19 related restrictions on travel to China. According to IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, “It is deeply disappointing that we are a not able to meet in Shanghai as planned. In the meantime, we are pleased to be returning to the dynamic aviation hub of Doha and the warm hospitality for which Qatar Airways, our host airline, has become famous.
This year’s AGM will be an important opportunity for aviation’s leaders to reflect on the shifting political, economic, and technological realities facing air travel as the industry’s recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic gathers pace.”
