Aviation leaders gather in Rio de Janeiro for the 82nd IATA General Assembly | News
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that global aviation industry leaders will gather in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the 82nd IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS) on June 6-8, 2026.
The last AGM held in South America was in 1999, also in Rio de Janeiro. This marked the formal introduction of the World Air Transport Summit format, which recognized the IATA AGM as the leading industry platform for high-level debate on critical issues surrounding aviation.
LATAM Airlines Group is the host airline of the event in which approximately 1,500 industry leaders, government officials and media are expected to participate.
“We are delighted to meet after 27 years in South America. Over the past decades, the entire region has made significant investments in aviation infrastructure, allowing the continent to benefit economically and socially from air connections. Brazil’s rapidly modernizing aviation sector already supports 2.1% of the country’s GDP. With rich tourism resources, huge SAF production potential and growing exports, the potential to further strengthen Brazil’s air connections is a winning proposition for people, jobs, trade and the wider economy. We will continue to economics in general. Changes are needed to realize Brazil’s potential as part of a program that addresses aviation’s most pressing global challenges,” said Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA.
Brazil continues to consolidate its leadership in South America and will reach nine million international visitors by 2025. According to IATA’s Value of Aviation report (pdf), the country’s aviation sector (airlines, airport operators and local businesses, air navigation services and manufacturers) employs 246,800 people and generates $10.3 billion in economic output, or 0.5% of total GDP. Taking into account the wider aviation value chain, including employee spending and tourism activities, the total number of jobs supported was 1.9 million, with a GDP contribution of US$46.4 billion, representing 2.1%.
Aviation demand in South America’s largest aviation market remains strong. In 2025, Brazil recorded 11.5% year-on-year growth in total passenger demand, with both domestic and international markets surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Domestic traffic exceeded 100 million passengers for the first time, while international demand grew by 17% compared to 2024, and increased by 20.4 percentage points compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
“As the host airline of IATA’s 82nd Annual General Meeting, LATAM Airlines Group is honored to welcome members of the global aviation community to Brazil. In Brazil, they will see an aviation market that contributes significantly to the country’s economic development. LATAM Airlines Group is proud to be a key player in those advances that are changing people’s lives for the better. The event is a great opportunity to inspire the conditions to make aviation in Brazil and throughout South America an even greater catalyst for growth and development ,” said Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group.
World Air Transport Summit
The World Air Transport Summit (WATS), which immediately follows the AGM, will address the key issues facing the aviation industry across an ambitious agenda of global and regional topics.
Highlights include the ever-popular CEO panel, hosted by CNN’s Richard Quest, featuring Luis Rodrigues, CEO of TAP Air Portugal, Con Korfiatis, CEO of Oman Air, Güliz Öztürk, CEO of Pegasus Airlines, and Adrian Neuhauser, CEO of Abra.
Key topics covered in the WATS include:
Making Brazil’s aviation potential a reality
Closing the gap between Brazil’s sustainable aviation fuel production potential and airline needs
Securing airspace to enable growth as conflict increases
Trade, tariffs and the role of air freight
The psychology of passengers in stressful situations
Passenger rights, data and prospects for better regulation
Does AI deliver on its promises for airlines?
The program also includes the eighth edition of the IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards. These awards recognize individuals and organizations promoting gender balance in the sector through the 25by2025 initiative.
