'The Worst It’s Ever Been': IATA Chief Warns of Global Airspace Challenges – Exclusive

Global airspace is under pressure like never before. IATA chief Willie Walsh says airlines are adapting — but they need all available information to make the right calls in an increasingly complex world.

The world’s commercial airspace is under more strain than ever, with airlines having to adapt to an ever-shifting map of viable flight paths. In an exclusive interview with Skift, Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said the problem is “the worst it’s ever been."

While the underlying problems are nothing new, Walsh suggested that the scale and complexity of the situation are without precedent.

“We've had to deal with this for years. You see shifting traffic flows depending on what part of the airspace is now closed to operations. It's much more difficult today than it was 20 years ago, and it seems to be only getting more difficult rather than less,” said the IATA chief.

Walsh was speaking to Skift ahead of the IATA Annual General Meeting which starts in Delhi on Sunday.

Earlier this month, rising tensions between India