Aviation

Germany hosts IATA AGM and Transport Summit

Berlin to be Global Aviation Capital in June:

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced today that Lufthansa will host the IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit in Berlin from June 6 to 8.

“Berlin will become the world capital of the aviation industry for three days. Of the 700 expected delegates, nearly one-third will be the chief executives of IATA’s 230 member airlines.

This is the biggest event on the international aviation calendar and we are very excited to be doing it for the first time in Germany’s dynamic capital of Berlin,” IATA’s Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said.

“This year’s AGM will be one of the most important in the history of the industry. Just as the industry was beginning to recover from the financial impact of the global financial crisis, we have been plunged into crisis once again with airspace closures following the Icelandic volcano eruption.

At the same time, we continue to face long-term challenges to improve efficiency, safety, and environmental performance.

We are still looking to break the shackles of antiquated regulation and liberalize the industry to compete like a normal business.

This year’s AGM will address all these important issues,” Bisignani said. This will be the third time that Germany hosts the IATA AGM.

Previously Munich (1968) and Hamburg (1985) hosted the event.

Last year the AGM took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Berlin

InterGlobe signs sales representation contract with Pacific Aerospace

InterGlobe General Aviation, a group company of InterGlobe Enterprises, has signed with Pacific Aerospace for the exclusive sales of the P-750 XSTOL aircraft in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives.

The introduction of the P-750 will be the first XSTOL (Extremely Short Take Off and Landing) aircraft to enter the region.

As the world’s most versatile aircraft, not only is it the ideal passenger carrier, it is the perfect aircraft to carry out a variety of Special Missions, already proving itself in some of the most demanding environments across the world.

The aircraft is being used by the UN World Food Programme in Chad, Sudan and Nepal, humanitarian work in the highlands of Papua New Guinea and Aerial Survey work in the Australian outback along with the freezing extremes of Alaska and the Himalayas.

Pacific Aerospace has recently partnered with L-3 Communications to offer the P-750 XSTOL to the US Air Force for missions in Afghanistan.

The addition of the P-750 adds a new element to IGGA’s current product offering, including exclusive representation for Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation and Dornier Seaplane Company and further emphasizes IGGA’s mission to set the benchmark for General Aviation in the region.

InterGlobe General Aviation President and CEO Nigel Harwood said they are pleased to enter into this long term association with Pacific Aerospace which has a heritage of 50 years in designing and manufacturing rugged, versatile and reliable aircraft.

“The performance of P-750 XSTOL makes this a perfect aircraft for the diverse terrain of the region due to its extremely short take off and landing capability in hot and high altitude conditions and exceptional payload performance,” he said.

SriLankan flies Bachchan to Colombo

Bollywood actor Amithab Bachchan made a flying visit to Sri Lanka on April 20, on board a SriLankan Airlines flight from Mumbai.

Bachchan was here as the Brand Ambassador for the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA), Bollywood’s most extravagant film event which is to be held in Colombo this June.

The Indian Film Awards which is taken to exotic locations around the world each year found its way to its neighbour’s capital this year, in an event which will see the cream of Bollywood flying down to Colombo from Mumbai to participate in this event.

SriLankan Airlines is the official partner airline for the event and will increase its capacity to Mumbai to fly in the Bollywood stars and their entourage for the awards ceremony to be held at the Sugathadasa Indoor stadium from June 3 to 5.

Bachchan paid a glowing tribute to our former Miss Sri Lanka now Bollywood actress, Jacqueline Fernandez who acted with him in her maiden Bollywood film Aladin.

Bachchan said he never saw a frown on our Jackie’s face thoroughout the entire production and her charm and warmth spread throughout the set to reach the stars.

Single European sky

Geneva - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced its full support for Spain’s transport minister Jose Blanco and of the European Commission Vice President Siim Kallas in their call to fast track implementation of the Single European Sky. The issue is set to be discussed at an extraordinary meeting of Europe’s Transport Council on May 4, 2010.

IATA’s Director General and CEO, Giovanni Bisignani made the following statement: “I applaud the leadership of Minister Blanco and Vice President Kallas to urgently fast track implementation of the Single European Sky.