Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
93 per cent
o
f
all international scheduled air traffi c. UK-based members of IATA include British Airways, bmi,
Virgin Atlantic Airways and fl ybe. The modern IATA is the successor to the International Air Traffi c Association
founded in the Hague in 1919 - the year of the world's fi rst international scheduled air services.
What does IATA do?
IATA's work covers many impo
r
tant areas concerning air travel, including:
1.
Aircraft operations - e.g. resolvi
n
g fl ight operation issues, quality assurance, reliable supplies of aircraft
fuel at airports, etc;
2.
Safety and security - co-ordinated efforts to improve installations, communications, route organisation,
air traffi c control and staff training to re
d
uce accident rates;
3.
Finance - IATA offers a range of fi nancial services to airlines to help them contain their costs, improve
their cash fl ow and maximise revenues;
4.
Consumer issues - IATA works with the airline i
n
dustry to simplify the travel experience, minimising
hassle for passengers and giving them more control
,
e.g. IATA is committed to 100 per cent e-ticketing
across all airlines;
5.
Environment - the Association is committed to devel
o
p
i
ng an airline industry that balances social,
economic and environmental impacts and responsibilities.
Who benei ts?
•
Consumers - by helping control airline costs, IATA contributes to c
h
eaper tickets for passengers. It co-
ordinates all 'interline' activity, i.e. the use of tickets across different
a
irlines;
•
Airlines - IATA allows airlines to work more effi ciently, working in partners
h
ip to exploit new opportunities,
reduce costs and solve problems. Airlines knit their individual networks into
a worldwide system through
IATA, despite differences in languages, currencies, laws and national custom
s
;
•
Third parties - IATA has a collective link between a range of third parties and th
e
airlines, e.g. passenger
agents, equipment manufacturers, service providers, etc;
•
Governments - governments can use IATA as an effective way of working with airlines, drawing on the
Association's experience and expertise.
IATA travel agents
Business and leisure travel agents in the UK, in common with agents worldwide, can apply for an IATA licence
to sell airline tickets and other services of IATA member airlines. Since these airlines only pay commission to
approved IATA sales agents, an IATA licence is a much sought after commodity. Applying for an IATA licence
has similarities to an application for ABTA membership, in that the applicant has to meet certain minimum
criteria and will be subject to an inspection and interview by an IATA representative. The criteria for appr
o
val
are concerned with a number of factors, including:
