The CEO of Qatar Airways has been nominated to serve on the board of the International Air Transport Association, after blasting the aviation trade body over its spending habits.
Akbar Al Baker’s name was put forward during a meeting of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation. The outspoken aviation chief said he hoped to push the agenda of Arab airlines if his nomination is successful.
“This nomination will help further push the cause of AACO members on the global stage,” Al Baker said in an emailed statement.
Al Baker has been a vocal critic of IATA in the past and last month claiming it had failed to address concerns about its expenditures from member airlines, despite assurances that operational costs would be justified.
He raised objections at the group’s annual general meeting in Singapore this year, highlighting that $18m had been spent on travel, $58m on data processing and IT, and $29m on outsourcing and consultancy.
Al Baker demanded that IATA substantiate “such large sums” and validate the processes by which consultant and outsourcing contracts were awarded. Five months later, Al Baker confirmed that a satisfactory response had not been received.
“The IATA belongs to member airlines and we deserve to know how our financial contributions are spent,” he said. “Until today, I am still waiting.
“I simply want to provide guidance on expenditure, but for that to happen, I need their cooperation. For example, if there are excessive funds, this should be returned to member airlines in the form of reduced charges, because IATA champions itself for saving us money.”
Al Baker’s nomination will need to be ratified by IATA’s general assembly at the trade body’s annual general meeting in Beijing next June.
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