81st IATA AGM: News Coverage
Industry leaders gathered in New Delhi for the annual meeting
June 2nd 2025
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that leaders of the global aviation industry gathered for the 81st IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS), taking place in New Delhi, India, June 1-3, 2025. Read More » IndiGo is the host airline of the event, which was last held in India in 1983. Some 1,700 participants are registered to attend, including industry leaders, government officials, and media. Along with discussing key issues facing the global aviation industry, the event will highlight India’s rapid development and the growth of its airline industry. “The AGM will allow aviation leaders and journalists from around the world to witness first-hand how India’s rapidly modernizing and expanding aviation sector is contributing to the country’s overall economic and social development,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, is expected to deliver a keynote address to delegates.
• Global airline association publishes report on India’s aviation market
The International Airlines Association (IATA) published a report, “Aviation in India: Sustaining - and growing - a dynamic air transport market”. “For years we have been hearing about India’s potential. Now India is delivering the potential,” said Amitabh Khosla, Country Director, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, at a media briefing during the IATA 81st Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS). According to the report, aviation made a contribution of $53.6 billion to India’s GDP and helped to create 7.7 million jobs, including those in the supply chain. Since 2011, there has been a 25% drop in fare price on domestic routes, making many of them a little more expensive than a train connection, but dramatically slashing the travel time. IATA cautioned that at the same time, there is a high cost environment in India and also high uncertainty for tax planning, which may negatively impact the development of the nation’s aviation market.
• China can be viewed as important swing factor in SAF future
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that it expects Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production to reach 2 million tonnes (Mt) (2.5 billion liters) or 0.7% of airlines’ total fuel consumption in 2025. While it is encouraging that SAF production is expected to double to 2 million tonnes in 2025, that is just 0.7% of aviation’s total fuel needs. And even that relatively small amount will add $4.4 billion globally to the fuel bill. The pace of progress in ramping up production and gaining efficiencies to reduce costs must accelerate,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. The IATA sees the importance of China’s market for the future of SAF production. “China with 13 projects planned to go online by 2030 can be viewed as an important swing factor in term of how much SAF comes to the market” said Preeti Jain, Head Net Zero Research and Programs, explaining that the country has the biomass feedstock capacity, and the technology to turn it into SAF. Other biomass feedstock hotspots for SAF in 2050 in the region are India, Indonesia and Malaysia, IATA says.
• IndiGo announces transatlantic partnership, commits to 30 additional A350 aircraft from Airbus
IndiGo, Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with plans to build an industry-leading partnership between North America, the U.K., Europe, India, and beyond. “We are particularly excited to start our long-haul expansion from this Summer and connect with our partners’ networks to provide greater access to Europe and North America. This strategic partnership enables a compelling combined customer proposition in the form of comprehensive intercontinental connectivity, seamless experience, and great loyalty value,” Pieter Elbers, CEO of IndiGo, said. The ceremony took place during the first day of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) 81st Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS) on June 1, 2025. Later the same day, IndiGo signed an MoU with Airbus on purchasing an additional 30 Airbus A350, doubling the existing order with the OEM. Elbers said IndiGo used 30 Purchase Rights for an additional 70 Airbus A350 Family aircraft from the order placed in April 2024.
