Skift Take
These precious moments...
The Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association in Miami was the event to watch this week in the aviation sector. Even if, sometimes, you wanted to look away.
Our favorite moments from the conference as captured in tweets, below.
1. That moment the 1% said, “Whaaaaat?”
Should airlines price tickets based on where we live? Wealthy zip codes pay more? @richardquest just asked a room of airline execs. #IATAAGM
— Brian Sumers (@BrianSumers) June 9, 2015
2. When airlines said Millennials didn’t matter, and Millennials minded.
@jonostrower I'm a frequently flying millennial and the most l expect from an airline is benign neglect. #IATAAGM
— Gavin Werbeloff (@Travel_Buddha) June 9, 2015
#IATAAGM Meeting Consumer Demands: The millennials want to know more about what airlines do, says @goProjectTravel CEO Jen Durkin
— IATA (@IATA) June 9, 2015
Ouch, fellow #Millennials. @Qantas CEO says we aren't important. "There are a lot of segments that are a lot bigger," he said. #IATAAGM
— Brian Sumers (@BrianSumers) June 9, 2015
And then just for the chuckles:
. @richardquest: "Sometimes when I see some airlines appealing to millennials, it looks like my parents disco dancing." #IATAAGM
— Brian Sumers (@BrianSumers) June 9, 2015
3. When someone brought up the bill, and it fell on deaf ears.
Venezuelan government must tackle problem of $3.7bn in airline funds govt is currently withholding from them #IATAAGM http://t.co/Rx8yggsjOx
— IATA Communications (@iata2press) June 8, 2015
4. When aircraft tracking was too soon.
IATA DG Tony Tyler concerned that November 2016 'may be a bit early for the implementation' of ICAO aircraft tracking requirement. #IATAAGM
— Aaron Karp (@airkarp) June 9, 2015
And too late.
Australia will call off #MH370 'goose chase' this year after finding nothing: Emirates boss Tim Clark #IATAAGM http://t.co/w1Jec11QGJ
— Jamie Freed (@Jamie_Freed) June 10, 2015
5. The moment Boeing acknowledged the best airline icon to represent the spirit of aviation went bust in 1991.
Boeing reception at #iataagm pic.twitter.com/uhFnmxhSbQ
— Ghim-Lay Yeo 杨锦丽 (@ghimlay) June 7, 2015
Oh, my. What do you think a gig like this pays? #IATAAGM pic.twitter.com/zX5P1YP3h6
— Brian Sumers (@BrianSumers) June 8, 2015
6. Closely followed by the moment airlines declared they needed a strong third player in the aircraft manufacturing game.
43% of #IATAAGM audience voted "yes" when asked if industry needs a third force in the mainline jet market. pic.twitter.com/j9mxoet8Km
— APEX (@theAPEXassoc) June 8, 2015
7. When you could hear the icicles cracking in Miami, in the summer.
.@richardquest asked @AlaskaAir CEO on the airline's relationship with @Delta. "We're working on that," he said. #IATAAGM
— Brian Sumers (@BrianSumers) June 8, 2015
8. That time that top airline execs tried to enjoy their fancy luncheons and gala dinners while the employees who make their inflight meals pleaded for an extra nickel.
Unions handing out flyers calling for better pay outside the #IATAAGM in Miami pic.twitter.com/Yu0LAZJQAa
— Alexander Cornwell (@alexjcornwell) June 8, 2015
And someone ordered these cupcakes, but the workers didn’t even get a teddy bear as consolation.
About to celebrate 70yrs of #FlyingBetterTogether at #IATAAGM with the industry #IATA70 Join! pic.twitter.com/huAMhCkaeZ
— IATA (@IATA) June 8, 2015
9. When wardrobe issues:
End of #iataagm decided to show @IATA CEO how we should have been dressed pic.twitter.com/5yZi60RkVF
— Richard Quest (@richardquest) June 9, 2015
10. That time that IATA execs gathered for their family photo, and aviation’s women pointed out that it was easier to find Waldo than a peer in aviation.
Photo of airline CEOs at #IATAAGM shows an industry sorely lacking in diversity. It's 2015; where are the women? https://t.co/QkbUgcCB0I
— Runway Girl Network (@RunwayGirl) June 8, 2015
And gained some #heforshe support:
.@IATA, no women on your #IATAAGM Outgoing Board of Governors? | Photos of men's club http://t.co/oQz3JRiMbl pic.twitter.com/nFDjwQmCTc
— Giel Linthorst (@GielGHLinthorst) June 7, 2015
Until, finally somebody spotted one!
Finally, a female airline CEO on stage – @TAMAirlines' Claudia Sender #IATAAGM pic.twitter.com/s1KcdfjxuX
— Ghim-Lay Yeo 杨锦丽 (@ghimlay) June 8, 2015
11. When Qatar Airway’s Al Baker declared he’d stood all he could stand and could stand no more—during the opening session.
CEO of Qatar Airways interrupts approval of annual report, calls for IATA to stand up against "protectionism" in U.S. and Europe. #IATAAGM
— Kristine Owram (@KristineOwram) June 8, 2015
And then Clark dug the knife in a bit.
"To the Americas mkt, we need the planes for the 200 cities we'll be doing shortly. With A380s." –@emirates' Clark. Lots of laughs. #IATAAGM
— AirwaysNews (@AirwaysNews) June 8, 2015
Emirates prez Tim Clark: "If you shut down open skies, anti-trust immunity has to go out." http://t.co/bCYzyCk0Rs (subscribers) #IATAAGM
— Firdaus Hashim (@FHavg) June 10, 2015
And Tyler tried to put an end to the nonsense.
IATA's Tony Tyler said doesn't think any airline will pull out of assoc over Gulf subsidies row #IATAAGM
— ReutersAerospaceNews (@ReutersAero) June 9, 2015
And failed:
Can you guess what Doug Parker was talking about? #IATAAGM https://t.co/0TVATyAchq
— Brian Sumers (@BrianSumers) June 8, 2015
.@AmericanAir CEO: "We have no plans" to fly to Doha or Abu Dhabi. #IATAAGM
— Brian Sumers (@BrianSumers) June 8, 2015
12. That time Quest played hooky to go to the beach, and brought back indisputable evidence. Bless him.
It's official. I am now lobster red. Florida sun has got me good. Back to #IATAAGM
— Richard Quest (@richardquest) June 8, 2015
13. When Air France tried to scare the skies out of Amadeus.
Air France-KLM mulls following Lufthansa's ticket charge move http://t.co/J1ohS7TDwr via @Reuters #IATAAGM
— ReutersAerospaceNews (@ReutersAero) June 8, 2015
14. Just about everything Lufthansa’s Spohr said, but these stand out:
#IATAAGM CEO panel discussion: @lufthansa CEO Spohr says, 'Every single CEO in this room needs to find his way to address a crisis'
— IATA (@IATA) June 8, 2015
Lufthansa CEO: let me make this clear. Our pilot did not do what he did because of depression @SkyNewsAust #IATAAGM
— Ahron Young (@AhronYoung) June 8, 2015
.@lufthansa CEO just called @qatarairways a "small airline" #IATAAGM
— Ghim-Lay Yeo 杨锦丽 (@ghimlay) June 8, 2015
.@lufthansa CEO. More consolidation would be good. "This is a key problem of the industry. There are just too many airlines." #IATAAGM
— Brian Sumers (@BrianSumers) June 8, 2015
.@lufthansa now tracking aircraft every 5mins – "we're spending too much money on it at this point." – CEO Spohr #IATAAGM
— Ghim-Lay Yeo 杨锦丽 (@ghimlay) June 8, 2015
15. And finally..oopsie!
#IATAAGM is over. flight home is delayed 2 hrs because of "operational reasons" @iflymia only 30m free wifi and must download sponsors app
— Richard Quest (@richardquest) June 9, 2015
And with these indelible memories we return you to your regularly scheduled flights — until next year.
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Photo credit: IATA Director General and CEO, Tony Tyler Jason Lee / Reuters