Former British Airways and International Airlines Group (IAG) CEO Willie Walsh is set to be become the next General and Chief Executive of IATA.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is holding its annual meeting today where Mr Walsh will be proposed as the successor to outgoing Alexandre de Juniac from April 2021.
As the trade association for international air travel, IATA has been at the forefront of the airline industry’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and has been lobbying governments across the globe for financial support to protect airlines.
Mr Walsh retired earlier this year after 15 years in charge of IAG where he had a reputation for being ruthless when it came to staff pay negotiations resulting in multiple strikes by crews during his tenure at British Airways.
He went on to mastermind the merger between British Airways and Iberia in 2010 which began International Airlines Group.
His appointment won’t be welcome for some airlines with both Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic and Michael O’Leary’s Ryanair having openly had spats with the former IAG Chief.
