IATA remarks on the modernization of the Russian aviation industry

For more than 60 years, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has developed the commercial standards that built a global aviation industry. Today, IATA represents, leads and serves the airline industry. Its members comprise some 230 airlines - the world's leading passenger and cargo airlines among them - representing 93 percent of scheduled international air traffic. 

IATA General and CEO Tony Tyler was a keynote speaker at the 2011 EU-Russia Aviation Summit in St. Petersburg. In an interview with Modern Russia, Tyler talks about the Russia-Europe relationship, safety in the aviation industry and the modernization of Russia’s infrastructure. 

Air transport between Russia and the EU has significantly increased over the past five years (+9 percent per year for passenger traffic), with growth rates for 2010 being particularly impressive for both for passenger traffic (+18 percent) and even more so for freight (+38 percent). How does IATA view the relationship between Russia and the EU?

The Russia-Europe relationship is strategically important for global aviation. Together, Europe and Russia account for about 37 percent of global traffic capacity and control a critical portion of the world’s airspace. Any changes in these two markets have a great impact on global aviation—operationally, commercially and from a policy perspective.

The Russian aviation industry has undergone significant changes in the past few decades. How has IATA contributed to the Russian aviation industry?

The top priority is and has always been safety. It is a constant challenge for carriers in every part of the world. Working with airlines operating Western-built jets and more modern Russian equipment, the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) has contributed to a big improvement in Russia’s safety performance. Of course, IOSA carries no guarantees. But none of the 14 Russian IOSA carriers has had a fatal accident since registration, underscoring the significance of such a global safety standard.

Both the EU and Russia face not only important challenges in further modernizing their air traffic management systems, but also in increasing the level of security. What can IATA offer Russia to further improve the standards of safety and security?

A priority alongside safety is security. IATA is championing a Checkpoint of the Future concept that will make airport screening processes both more effective and more convenient. This will work best as part of a global system. I am encouraged by the support of the U.S. and the EU and hope that Russia will soon join the growing list of countries endorsing this concept.

What developments do you consider as key milestones for the Russian aviation industry?

IATA’s Simplifying the Business program is a showcase for investments and modernization efforts that ensure a healthy aviation industry. IATA very much welcomed a change in legislation that facilitated the introduction of e-ticketing, a corner stone of this program. This ensured that Russian carriers received their share of the $3 billion annual savings resulting from the removal of paper tickets.

While there has been significant progress in the modernization of the Russian aviation industry, what challenges does it still need to overcome?

Infrastructure in Russia still needs major upgrades to support both safe and efficient operations. As users of the system, IATA stands ready to provide our expertise to ensure that these investments deliver the best value for the upgrades that are required. For example, we are eager to work with the government to further integrate the IOSA standard into Russian aviation, along with our safety audit for ground operations (ISAGO).