{"id":36013,"date":"2022-08-23T13:19:39","date_gmt":"2022-08-23T10:19:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saudishopper.com.sa\/en\/?p=36013"},"modified":"2026-03-28T01:34:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T22:34:49","slug":"wfs-to-focus-on-reshaping-airline-resilience-post-covid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saudishopper.com.sa\/en\/wfs-to-focus-on-reshaping-airline-resilience-post-covid\/","title":{"rendered":"WFS to Focus on Reshaping Airline Resilience Post-COVID"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

23 August 2022 (Geneva) \u2013\u00a0The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the 2022\u00a0World Financial Symposium<\/a>\u00a0(WFS) would focus on reshaping airline resilience. The event will take place from19-22 September in Doha, Qatar, with Qatar Airways as the host airline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the greatest shock to aviation in history, the industry is emerging rapidly from the pandemic and government-mandated travel restrictions of the past two years. Industry losses are expected to reduce to $9.7 billion this year from nearly $180 billion in red ink in 2020-21. As travel barriers fall in most regions, very strong demand supports expectations for recovery to pre-COVID-19 traffic levels by 2024, with profitability a possibility in 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, airline debt levels have soared as carriers borrowed to stay aloft during the crisis. And finance departments across the industry will face challenges as the industry achieves its 2050 fly net zero commitment.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAirlines are resilient. Now is the time to build on the hard work and difficult restructurings of the past two years to seize opportunities coming out of the crisis. Finance will play a vital role in supporting the ongoing recovery while creating a sustainable capital structure to support our ambitious environmental agenda,\u201d said Willie Walsh, IATA\u2019s Director General.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr.\u00a0Akbar Al Baker, said: \u201cWe are honored to be hosting the first in-person WFS since 2019 during our milestone 25th\u00a0year of operations. This vital symposium will bring together financial leaders from airlines and our many supply chain partners to discuss and debate the path forward and the challenges to be overcome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A highlight of the WFS Opening Plenary will be an onstage discussion with Akbar Al Baker and Willie Walsh on the theme of the industry\u2019s future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sessions will address: <\/p>\n\n\n\n