The 70th International Air Transport Association (Iata) Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit, which Qatar Airways is hosting next month, take place as the aviation industry celebrates 100 years since the first scheduled commercial flight.
The event will be held in Doha from June 1 to 3.
It was in January 1914 that the first commercial passenger flight took off in Florida, when former mayor of St Petersburg purchased a ticket to make the 23-minute journey across the bay separating Tampa and St Petersburg, Florida.
That event marked the birth of the global airline industry and in a happy coincidence, Qatar Airways is launching a direct flight from Doha to Miami in Florida next month, 100 years later and just six days after the Iata AGM.
Some 240 airlines around the world are members of Iata and the forthcoming AGM is expected to attract more than 1,000 senior aviation industry delegates, including a contingent of more than 200 international media.
Key themes of airline industry reputation, the global aviation skills supply and aircraft noise developments are expected to be discussed during the three-day conference.
Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar al-Baker said, "Qatar Airways is a strong supporter of Iata, and as such is looking in keen anticipation to hosting this event. This year"™s AGM is the first to take place in the Middle East since Amman, Jordan, in 1997, and this is only the fourth time that the AGM has been held in the region.
"As guests and aviation leaders descend on Doha this June, we look forward to them witnessing the new infrastructural developments in our country, especially the new Hamad International Airport, the world"™s newest airport gateway."
Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 17 years of operation. Currently, it operates a modern fleet of some 134 aircraft to 138 key business and leisure destinations across…
