By NNN-Bernama,
Geneva : The International Air Transport Association (IATA) will assemble a group of strategic thinkers who will meet in in Singapore next February to revise the organization’s Vision 2050, says IATA Chief Executive Officer Giovanni Bisignani.
Vision 2050, which was announced during IATA’s annual general meeting in June, this year, would likely be the guidelines for members to tackle upcoming challenges in the industry moving forward, he told some 120 journalists from around the world at the IATA Global Media Day here Tuesday.
“This team will come out with long terms recommendations. The members include chief executive officers, industry wise men, politicians, investors, economists and so on,” he said, adding that the meeting was expected to take place on Feb 12, 2010.
Among the leaders would Singapore’s founding father and currently Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew, and Harvard University’s Professor Michael Porter, who will share their achievements and experiences.
“We have to change. Together, we will produce an industry paper that captures the group’s thoughts on sustainable profitability,” said Bisignani, who added that Vision 2050 would also look at finding an environmentally sustainable way to power the industry, having cost efficient infrastructure to support the industry and building passenger royalty.
“For the most technologically advanced industries in the world, nothing is impossible within a 40-year time frame. I am confident we will have some interesting results to report in June,” he said.
He said safety would remain IATA’s first priority in its future plan as it was the foundation of aviation.
Bisignani, who has been with IATA for ten years, will retire effective July next year. Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways Chief Officer Tony Tyler will be presented as Bisignani’s successor at IATA’s AGM June next year in Cairo.