Over 1,500 participants from the world's airlines, Strategic Partners, associations, manufacturers and media gathered in Dubai for the 80th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit.
Kurt Hofmann has the opportunity to speak with many airline CEOs and management on current issues such as engine issues, supply chain challenges, high ticket prices, short supply of airplanes, expansion plans and more.
Thai Airways
Thai Airways CEO Chai Eamsiri spoke about Thai Airways' recent development and recovery from the pandemic and restructuring.
“Before the global Covid pandemic Thai Airways had a 35% market share in Bangkok, which came down to below 20% during the pandemic which is too low for the home base carrier. In the medium turn, we have to bring it back at least to 30% to 35% with additional wide-body capacity“.
Chai Eamsiri, Thai Airways CEO
Lufthansa Group
Lufthansa Group CEO Carsten Spohr discusses consolidating and purchasing other European airlines for growth.
"When I joined Lufthansa 30 years ago, we had a double digit number of destinations in South East Asia, now we are down to only two destinations, Bangkok and Singapore. The Lufthansa Group is still bigger then Turkish Airlines or the competitors from the Gulf, but the gap is closing. If you buy another airline  (like ITA Airways) then the gap is growing again. With no consolidation and no organic growth, there is no future for European aviation"
Carsten Spohr, CEO Lufthansa Group
Austrian Airlines
Austrian Airlines CEO Anette Mann explains the investments in the new long haul fleet including B787-9.
Adding the Boeing 787-9 to our fleet is a big step into the future. It is also a symbol that we lead Austrian into the future, with state of the art technology and new cabin features. We plan to complete the fleet rollover from 767/777 by 2028.
Austrian Airlines CEO Anette Mann
Gulf Air
Gulf Air Group CEO Jeffrey Goh comments on the unfortunate situation that Rolls-Royce keeps promising that there will be a solution for the Trent 1000 engine and they have not seen in concrete terms that a solution is there. 3 of Gulf Air's 10 787-9 are grounded.
“Our problem with respect to the Rolls engine, and we are not the only ones, is like many other airlines it affects the stability of our operations and impacts us in terms of the growth of our network.”
Gulf Air Group CEO Jeffrey Goh
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines Chairman Ahmet Bolat talks about capacity shortage which will increase ticket prices for passengers. Turkish Airlines currently operates 456 aircraft. The carrier is expecting its 500th aircraft in 2025
“In 2023, Turkish Airlines’ [passenger capacity] growth rate was around 16%. This year, it is about 10% to 11%. Eventually we will catch this, but you can see that everybody is suffering; we are all on the same boat.”
Turkish Airlines Chairman Ahmet Bolat
Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew share his doubts regarding Boeing 777-9 deliveries. The carrier has eight on firm order and options for a further 12.
“According to the purchase agreement, the first Boeing 777-9 will be delivered in 2027. We still have three years’ time. Yes, we believe first deliveries will be delayed. We hope that Boeing can correct this and delivers on time.”
Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Mesfin Tasew
MIAT Mongolian Airlines
MIAT Mongolia Airlines CCO Batdari Namkhaijantsan said that the airline operates two GEnx-1B powered Boeing 787-9s and it is one of the smallest operators of Boeing 787. However, this makes them not immune regarding engine problems.
“New technology, especially with the engines is effecting the smaller airlines even more. General Electric is investing and really trying to make it better. My assumption is, they make more money because of this problem. They are going to have more (engine) services because of the problems, by making a defective product. This is unfair“, he said.
MIAT Mongolia Airlines CCO Batdari Namkhaijantsan
AACO - Arab Air Carrier's Organization
AACO DG Abdul Wahab Teffaha talks about the outlook of the airline business in the Middle East region.
“Although the region is addressing regional conflicts, fortunately these conflicts are localized, in very few countries. Otherwise the region is doing well and the airlines almost are on the level of 2019. By the end of the year, we will exceeded 2019 levels“
AACO Director General Abdul Wahab Teffaha
Air Arabia Group
Air Arabia Group CEO Adel Abdullah Ali explains why the A320neo deliveries are delayed by one year
“We have 120 Aircraft Airbus A320neo family aircraft on order. They suppost to come from 2024 (onwards), but with the supply chain challenges and engine issues we moved them to 2025. As of 2025, we get about anything between 15 to 20 aircraft deliveries every year. Some of them for growth, some of them will be for replacement. Depending on the age of the particular aircraft“.
Air Arabia Group CEO Adel Ali
Emirates
Adnan Kazim Chief Commercial Officier of Emirates talks about the opportunity of the new Airbus A350 fleet.
"I mean for us that will be an domain we didn't had in the past. Between 280 and 320 seater, thats a gap on Emirates fleet capacity. That will give us the flexibility to manouver even more and to adapt many new markets for which B777-300ER and A380 are to big for them“.
Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officier, Emirates