26 APRIL 2021

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Article from BTNews 26 APRIL 2021

Walsh on profiteering

Willie Walsh stole the show with an outburst on profiteering at an IATA press conference last week where soon to retire chief economist Brian Pearce echoed other airline forecasts with a possible pickup in the second quarter in 2021.

Walsh opened diplomatically in his first public appearance since his appointment but made two significant points “It is necessary for governments to work with the industry” and “We know how to do risk management better than governments.” 

Pearce took us through a deep analysis on his IATA’s future predictions (see below).

The IATA CEO then took questions from media regarding testing the “cost of the PCR test is unacceptable. There is clear evidence of profiteering by people who have jumped on the bandwagon. You also have governments mandating testing and then charging VAT on top of something that they are saying is a critical service.”

“We have got to challenge this and I’m pleased to say that as we have started challenging and have started to see things improving.”

Walsh said that there was “…a challenge over whether PCR testing is necessary.”

Questioned on the rules governing entry to the US from the UK and Europe he returned to his ambassadorial role saying it was all for the future.  

Mr Walsh full speech can be found here  www.iata.org/en/pressroom/speeches/2021-04-21-01

www.iata.org/en/iata-repository/publications/economic-reports/airline-industry-economic-performance---april-2021---presentation

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