Page 49 - World Airnews Magazine February Edition 2021

NEWS DIGITAL

HAI HELI-EXPO DATES MOVED

contacted us supported holding Expo as that our industry has demonstrated
long as health and safety protocols throughout this pandemic will help our
The Helicopter Association were in place. We took extraordinary businesses and individuals persevere and
International (HAI) has decided to cancel steps, working with our partners in New strengthen.”
HAI HELI-EXPO 2021. Orleans, to be able to conduct a safe HAI is beginning to reach out to exhib-
Going forward the association will event.” itors, attendees, vendors, and other HAI
redirect its efforts to producing HAI As a mid-January deadline for exhibitors HELI-EXPO 2021 stakeholders. Exhibitors
HELI-EXPO 2022, which will be held on approached, the world also saw a spike have multiple options for their booth
March 7–10 in Dallas, Texas, a city that in COVID-19 cases. “Pandemic conditions payments, including pushing participation
has traditionally been a hub of rotorcraft have changed, and the majority of our and payment to the 2022 show in Dallas,
operations. stakeholders have recently expressed repurposing dollars to other HAI adver-
HAI HELI-EXPO has long served as a discomfort with the logistics involved in tising or sponsorship opportunities to
venue where the international VTOL business travel at this time,” Viola said. support their business objectives in 2021,
industry annually gathers - to connect, “In response, we concluded that we or issue of a full refund.
learn, and conduct (US) $2 billion in had to cancel HAI HELI-EXPO 2021. We’re Registered attendees will receive a full
business. grateful for the honest feedback that we refund, as will those who registered for
“Please understand that we did not received from our members, exhibitors, HAI Professional Education courses. Our
make this decision lightly,” said James attendees, and other stakeholders. housing vendor, OnPeak, will cancel all
Viola, president and CEO of HAI. “Like many others during this past year, hotel reservations booked within the HAI
“HAI is here to support our members we have had to adjust course in response block.
and customers. Leading up to mid-Janu- to changing conditions,” said Viola. More information on those options can
ary, the majority of industry voices who “HAI firmly believes that the flexibility be found at heliexpo.com/faq. Q

NEWS DIGITAL

IATA APPOINTMENT FOR AFRICA

AND MIDDLE EAST

“Muhammad has re-in forced IATA strong crew safe during the pandemic and
presence in the AME region. As he moves beyond,” said Al-Awadhi.
The International Air Transport to take on the challenges of leading our A national of Kuwait, Al-Awadhi holds
Association has announced that Kamil CFDS activities, Muhammad will leave an MBA in aerospace management from
H. Al-Awadhi will be IATA’s regional vice in place a strong team for the capable the Toulouse Business School and an
president for Africa and Middle East leadership of Kamil. engineering degree in aircraft maintenance
“Kamil is an industry veteran who brings
effective 1 March 2021. a tremendous depth of airline expertise management from Air Service Training
Al-Awadhi succeeds Muhammad Albakri and regional experience. These will be (AST) in the UK. Q
who will become IATA senior vice-president critical in leading IATA activities in the AME
for customer, financial and digital services region at this very challenging time. As a
(CFDS), also effective 1 March 2021. former CEO, he knows what member air-
As previously announced, Albakri will lines expect of IATA. And, I have no doubt
replace Aleks Popovich in the CFDS role that Kamil has the skills and determination
upon his retirement. to exceed those expectations as we aim to
Most recently, Al-Awadhi was CEO of reconnect the world amid the coronavirus
Kuwait Airways, a responsibility he held pandemic,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA
from November 2018 through August 2020. director general and CEO.
That capped a 31-year career at Kuwait “I look forward to getting started at IATA.
Airways during which his positions included Like all regions, AME will need a strong
deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer. air transport industry to kick-start the
Al-Awadhi has also held several positions economic recovery from COVID-19.
in the areas of safety, security, quality “The priority to revive aviation is clear
management and enterprise resource and IATA is at the centre of this effort.
planning. There is no time to waste. We must help
At IATA, Al-Awadhi will lead the governments to re-open borders without
association’s activities across AME from its quarantine and we need to ensure that
regional office in Amman, Jordan. He will the industry is ready to safely scale-up
report to the IATA director general and CEO operations and implement the global
and join the IATA strategic leadership team. standards that will keep passenger and

World Airnews | February Extra 2021
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