Skift
• Gordon Smith
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has named World Economic Forum managing director Saadia Zahidi as its next director general, effective Nov. 1. She will succeed Willie Walsh, who relinquishes the role on July 31, making Zahidi IATA’s first female director general and first since 1985 without airline executive experience.
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IATA’s Board has named World Economic Forum executive Saadia Zahidi as Director General, effective Nov. 1, succeeding Willie Walsh, who steps down July 31. Zahidi becomes IATA’s first woman to lead the organization.
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has named World Economic Forum managing director Saadia Zahidi as its next director general, effective Nov. 1. She will succeed Willie Walsh, who relinquishes the role on July 31, making Zahidi IATA’s first female director general and first since 1985 without airline executive experience.
The European Commission’s proposal would extend the EU ETS to cover airline emissions from flights within 5,000 km of the EEA, effectively adding Middle East and North Africa routes. IATA rejects the plan’s extraterritorial scope, while environmental groups and low-cost carriers raise concerns about pricing and competitiveness.
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The European Commission has proposed overhauling the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), extending carbon-permit requirements to international flights. Business aviation and airline groups—including EBAA and Airlines for Europe—criticize the plan over higher passenger costs and concerns that revenues may not be clearly reinvested in aviation decarbonisation.
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With wars reshaping customer priorities, Britain’s Farnborough Airshow is set to foreground weapons and defense-linked capabilities alongside next-generation platforms. Vertical Aerospace plans its first public eVTOL prototype flight, following a defense-focused autonomy deal. Separately, IATA’s 2025 WATS highlights premium growth, Asia’s dominance, and shifting fleet dynamics.
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IATA has issued new operational guidance for airlines to manage in-cabin pet travel consistently—from booking and check-in through boarding, onboard handling, and arrival. The move targets passenger confusion caused by uneven practices, which IATA says affects 41% of pet-interested travelers in its surveys.
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IATA’s May 2026 data shows global air cargo demand rising 6.0% year over year, with volumes increasing faster than capacity despite continued Middle East-related disruption. Separately, IATA links a +7% June gain to exceptional semiconductor and AI-linked hardware flows, even as spot rates continue to ease.
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Dimerco says Taiwan–US airfreight capacity remains exceptionally tight, with high-tech demand driving rising rates. In parallel, Air cargo capacity across MESA is still recovering, narrowing a reported 19% deficit, while passenger demand is mixed as jet fuel pressure and Middle East carriers’ weakness drag overall trends and Heathrow trims its 2026 outlook amid war risks.
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