Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al-Baker has been unanimously nominated to serve on the influential Board of Governors of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). He was given the vote of confidence by the General Assembly of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation (AACO) �ê" the 27-member Arab regional aviation body �ê" at its annual general meeting held in Abu Dhabi. IATA serves the interests of more than 230 airlines globally �ê" representing over 90 per cent of the world's air transport. IATA's Board of Governors is made up of a select few airline bosses representing different parts of the world. Al-Baker, who was recently elected to AACO's Executive Committee, said: "I am delighted that AACO sees fit to nominate me to serve on the IATA Board of Governors. This nomination will help further push the cause of AACO members on the global stage. With the formidable rise of air passenger traffic to and from the Middle East, the region's carriers are becoming increasingly influential in global aviation, so I look forward to being a voice on the IATA board, if my nomination is confirmed by the IATA general assembly." His nomination has to be ratified by IATA's general assembly at its annual general meeting in Beijing next June. Al-Baker has been at the helm of Qatar Airways as CEO since its launch in 1997 and has since steered the Doha-based airline into an award-winning global carrier serving over 100 destinations with a modern fleet of more than 100 aircraft. A few weeks ago, Qatar Airways astonished aviation observers at the Dubai airshow, ordering 50 new A330 aircraft. The carrier has orders worth over $50 billion for more than 250 aircraft, including Boeing 787s, 777s, Airbus A350s, A380s and A320 aircraft. The rapid expansion of Qatar Airways prompted the state of Qatar to embark on one of its biggest projects �ê" the construction of a brand new international airport in Doha, which is scheduled to open in 2012.
