TIACA outlines unity as key factor in aviation post-coronavirus recovery

During an ICAO Council video conference meeting on 9 April 2020, the International Air Cargo Association (TIACA), the Airports Council International (ACI), the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) were invited to present to the Council their views of the international aviation community, discussing the main measures that states should take to provide immediate support to the aviation industry during the COVID-19 crisis and, at a later date, to support its recovery post-pandemic. The central theme of the meeting was ‘work together and in unison’.

TIACA, the sole organisation dedicated exclusively to representing air freight, defended its members’ interests before the Council. TIACA’s General Secretary, Vladimir Zubkov, said: “I gave to the Council a background on our association, its mission and main objectives, as well as some examples of the successful collaborative work in the last seven years with ICAO. But, of course, the main presentation was on the measures that TIACA and its members are recommending to alleviate effects of this crisis to maintain orderly business activity.”

TIACA emphasised – and several other organisations agreed – that pressure on resources is intense and government financial assistance is essential both immediately and at a later date to support the aviation industry’s recovery. The international alliance focused particularly on protecting resources and staff, as well as the need for strict prioritisation.

In his summary, ICAO‘s President, Salvatore Sciacchitano, emphasised the importance of a strong international alliance to help the aviation industry emerge from this crisis. “Unity among the international community and its stakeholders is essential,” agreed Zubkov.