1.- Beyond the impact of COVID-19, what were the major challenges you faced during your term? A former ICAO Director told me once: “Mr President, you have done many things in ICAO for the first time”. In essence, I have faced situations never faced before. They required strong determination and, sometimes, an innovative approach. For example, with the emerging of COVID-19, the Council continued working virtually  in six languages, even before we had a technological platform.  I also had to lead the Council to take the first decision ever in 80 years on the merit of a dispute between its Members. I also lead the Council to take decisions on violations of the Chicago Convention, remaining focused on technical dimensions and [...]

By Jeff Peet, Managing Editor, ALA News 1.- What are the main challenges facing LACAC? LACAC is a regional international organization that brings together the civil aviation authorities of its member states and serves as a coordination space. I would say that its main challenge is to build unity and common positions, so that the interests of commercial aviation in the region are properly aligned. 2.- What do you consider to be the most relevant achievement of LACAC in the 42nd ICAO Assembly, held just over a month ago? The 42nd ICAO Assembly had as a background a world that tends towards polarization. With that in mind, I believe that a relevant achievement has been maintaining unity and achieving the [...]

Air Cargo is crucial to many other industries. How do you keep up with such a vast array of partners/clients such as pharmaceuticals, e-commerce, perishables among others? That is indeed as challenge as industry sector has unique and specific demands from their supply chain partners.  The only way this can be achieved is through active and ongoing dialogue.  TIACA supports its members by engaging with the shippers in each of the crucial sectors and facilities knowledge transfer. To some, your sector is somehow unknown, and I would risk saying that the Covid-19 pandemic made it possible for the wider public to understand your contribution to aviation better. Was that health crisis a turning point in terms of your general business [...]

Source: SITA What excites you about baggage management and your role? I am incredibly excited about my role as Head of Baggage as it allows me to combine my passions for aviation and baggage. Coming from the airline industry I’ve seen, firsthand, the intricate world of baggage handling: the endless planning and coordination, plus the pressure on operational staff to ensure every piece of baggage reaches its intended destination seamlessly. What excites me is that my team and I work directly with airlines and airports to help solve key pain points in the baggage journey. By using digitalization and automation we not only relieve the pressure for the operational staff – thereby driving operational efficiency - but help to restore [...]

By Jeff Peet, Managing Editor, ALA News  You were appointed in 2023 as Chairperson of the Board of Directors. What has been your greatest interest or concern and what do you think you have achieved so far in this new capacity? Pegasus Airlines has a motto: "We did not start aviation in Türkiye, but we transformed it".   Pegasus was the first to adopt the "low-cost airline" business model in the country – and now we have successfully developed it into our region and beyond, as at the heart of what we do, we believe that everyone has the right to fly. I consider myself fortunate to serve in such a pioneering company as Pegasus Airlines, first as CEO and now [...]

By Jeff Peet, Managing Editor, ALA News. What is the nature of the event that has brought you to Ottawa, Canada on this occasion? Giovanni Di Antonio: In Ottawa we are working on the second plenary session of our organization this year. We usually meet biannually in different parts of the world and in accordance with a given hosting member aviation authority. The current meeting here has allowed us to return to our twice-a-year gatherings that had experienced a parenthesis during the pandemic. We are a well-structured voluntary organization made of 64 national civil aviation authorities plus EASA and EUROCONTROL. What are the regions of the world where you are the most active? LIU Hao: JARUS covers three regions of [...]

Source: ATN Last year you celebrated 10 years what are the key points of the success? While every airline is different, at Volotea, our success is due to a combination of factors, the first being that we offer routes among small and medium-sized cities that, before our arrival, required a connection in a major hub. Among other factors, we can certainly include our foresight in identifying opportunities, the strategic expansion of our network, and a consistent approach to executing our plans. Additionally, our pilots and cabin crew, and HQ staff - this year we will employee around 1750 people – together with our airport partners have all played a critical role in the process. And, of course, we would be [...]

By Jeff Peet, ALA News Managing Editor, from Istanbul. In terms of the environment, you have made a huge advance in water saving, for example. What are the improvements you have implemented and was that a goal or is it part of a greater plan? We are committed to the 2050 goals of the industry. When we started this project back in 2014-2015, the first department that was formed was the one dedicated to the environment. Even before the design and planning stages, such area was already in place so the whole project was put in that perspective. But environment to us goes beyond as we have managed sustainability concerns and improvements from the first minute. That has been an [...]

Source: ACI-LAC 1.- What do you think is necessary to stimulate innovation in the airport industry and what innovations will be most needed in the coming years in Latin America? Airport infrastructures have the great challenge of being at the forefront and respond to the needs of the changing world, especially to ensure that they can have a more sustainable operation and in harmony with the environment, and at the same time achieve efficiencies that allow them to be more profitable and meet current and future needs. That is why it is necessary, as we have been doing at El Dorado airport, to transform strategies to meet business objectives while being sustainable. Thanks to our sustainable infrastructure, El Dorado is [...]