The 34th IATA Ground Handling Conference (IGHC) will be held May 31 to June 2 at Palais Brongniart in Paris, France.
The event is returning to its traditional spring timeframe after conducting the 33rd annual event in Prague in November 2021 due to scheduling constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to focusing on sustainability and workforce topics, IATA officials have noted this year’s event will feature a concentration on implementing procedures and operations. To that end, it was recently announced IATA and the Airline Catering Association (ACA) will be presenting an updated Standard Inflight Catering Agreement (SICA) designed to standardize operations and improve efficiency across the catering-industry.
“The updated SICA is a significant step that will benefit our respective members. The clarity that it brings to the intricate work needed to produce millions of inflight meals a day will help both airlines and caterers work more efficiently together. And we look forward to creating even more value for both our memberships in future collaborations,” Fabio Gamba, ACA’s director general, said in a press release announcing the new template.
Following the pandemic, the commercial aviation industry will need to continue adjusting to the uptick in passenger air traffic with reduced staffing levels.
In a recent announcement, IATA officials pointed to the necessity of efficient group operations to ad in the industry’s recovery.
“Restoring thousands of ground services jobs without the benefit of the “institutional memory” of those who have permanently left the industry is a massive challenge,” the release notes. “Compounding this is the fact that recruiting, training and accrediting new staff can take up to six months, largely owing to lengthy background security checks.”
More information about the IGHC can be found on the AviationPros Events section and information regarding registration and exhibitors at the event can be found on IATA’s website.
