The 81st Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), held in Delhi, marked a pivotal moment for the global aviation industry. IATA Director General Willie Walsh delivered a powerful speech, outlining the sector’s biggest challenges and the bold ambitions of airlines worldwide.
“Aviation remains strong and relevant”
“Aviation continues to be strong and relevant,” Walsh declared. And this isn’t just rhetoric: in the near future, the number of air passengers is expected to exceed 5 billion annually, while 69 million tonnes of air freight will account for one-third of global trade by value.
But behind this impressive scale lies a fragile balance. In 2025, airlines are projected to earn $36 billion in profit on revenues of $979 billion—just $7.20 in net profit per passenger. Airline profitability still lags significantly behind other sectors in the aviation value chain.
Yet, as Walsh emphasized, aviation has proven its resilience in the post-pandemic era and remains a vital pillar of the global economy—contributing 3.9% to global GDP and supporting 86.5 million jobs worldwide.
Kazakhstan: climbing to new heights
Against this backdrop of transformation and recovery, Kazakhstan is rapidly emerging as a key player on the global aviation map.
Though the country wasn’t mentioned directly in Walsh’s speech, his core messages—on infrastructure expansion, sustainability, and digitalization—align closely with Kazakhstan’s strategic direction.
In Almaty, construction of a new international terminal is nearing completion, enabling the airport to handle over 14 million passengers a year.
In Astana, apron and runway upgrades are underway, and the route network continues to grow.
Kazakhstan is actively building its role as a vital transit hub connecting Europe and Asia. Flag carrier Air Astana and its low-cost arm FlyArystan are expanding their reach across China, India, South Korea, the UAE, and Europe.
On sustainability, the country is also making progress. Air Astana is already deploying strategies to reduce its carbon footprint, and the government is encouraging the development of eco-friendly aviation technologies.
Kazakhstan is also an ICAO Council member, contributing to global aviation policymaking and championing the vision of safe, accessible, and sustainable air travel.
It’s no longer just an observer—but a committed and engaged player in global aviation.
Safety: the goal is zero accidents
2024 was a remarkable year for aviation safety: out of 40.6 million flights, there were only seven fatal accidents. But IATA isn’t stopping there. The ultimate goal is zero fatalities and total operational safety.
To achieve this, the industry is turning to data and technology. In 2024, the GADM system collected data on 8 million flights and over 50,000 incidents.
Yet, progress is being slowed. Fewer than half of all aviation incident reports result in a published final report—meaning lost opportunities to learn and prevent future mistakes.
Armed conflict remains another serious concern. In the past year alone, two civilian aircraft were downed in conflict zones. Walsh called on the UN and ICAO to urgently strengthen international mechanisms to protect civilian aviation from such threats.
Affordability: achievements under pressure
A striking statistic: over the past decade, the cost of flying has dropped by 40%. But that progress is now under threat due to aircraft delivery delays and overloaded infrastructure.
Production crisis:
- 17,000 aircraft are on order—equivalent to a 14-year backlog;
- Over 1,100 aircraft under 10 years old are parked in storage;
- 2025 aircraft deliveries are expected to be 26% lower than promised.
“This is unacceptable,” Walsh said bluntly, urging manufacturers to step up and calling for aviation to be shielded from trade wars and for more transparency in the spare parts market.
Infrastructure gaps:
Some countries are taking positive steps:
- India is building second airports in Delhi and Mumbai;
- Vietnam plans to ensure 97% of its population is within reach of an airport;
- Morocco aims to double airport capacity by 2030;
- Dubai is starting construction on what will be the world’s largest airport.
Europe, however, continues to lag. Walsh sharply criticized the EU’s lack of progress on the Single European Sky initiative, failure to modernize, and the Dutch government’s decision to cut flight capacity in the name of noise reduction.
Regulation: don’t stifle competition
Walsh didn’t hold back when naming what he sees as one of the worst examples of harmful overregulation: the EU’s Regulation 261, which forces airlines to compensate passengers even for delays caused by third parties. This, he said, is costing airlines €5 billion a year.
He warned Canada and the U.S. not to adopt similar frameworks and urged regulators worldwide to pursue more balanced and pragmatic consumer protection policies.
Digital transformation: passports in your phone, unified cargo records
Digital ID is the future of fast, secure, and seamless passenger processing. Walsh urged the global adoption of digital passports and the elimination of paper documentation at airports.
A logistics revolution is also coming: by 2026, the ONE Record standard will unite all air cargo stakeholders into a single data-sharing system.
But for this to succeed, governments must formally recognize it, and the industry must implement it widely.
Sustainability: from talk to action
In 2021, IATA committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, placing high hopes on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which is expected to account for 65% of emission reductions.
However, the current state of SAF use is discouraging—only 0.7% of all aviation fuel.
- Support programs are stalling;
- Shell and BP are delaying investments;
- The EU is raising taxes but failing to incentivize SAF production.
Walsh delivered a sharp rebuke: “The EU has created a great green swindle—where suppliers are cashing in by charging excessive premiums for SAF.”
To counter this, IATA has launched the SAF CADO registry and the SAF Matchmaker platform to track SAF production and usage. But Walsh made clear: this is not enough. Real action is required—from fuel producers, from governments, from the entire industry.
“Flight is freedom”
“We’ve transformed aviation from a luxury to mass transportation. But billions of people are still waiting for their first flight,” Walsh reminded delegates.
He called on the industry and governments not to lose momentum. Aviation, he emphasized, is not just another sector—it’s a force for progress, connection, trade, discovery, and dreams.
“Flight is freedom. And the human spirit craves freedom.”
