Aviation Week's Window Seat Podcast
Jul 28, 2026 · 20 min · 11 segments
Willie Walsh, during his last week as IATA director general and before taking the helm at IndiGo, talks with Karen Walker about his work at IATA and why he remains optimistic about the air transport…
Willie WalshGuestKaren WalkerHostUh, Willie, of course, is director general at the International Air Transport Association, or IATA, that represents more than 370 airlines, accounting for some 85% of global air traffic.
Willie took the helm in April 2021, and that continued a long and illustrious career that included the roles of CEO at Aer Lingus, British Airways, and International Airlines Group.
Willie will relinquish his IATA role at the end of this week, and of course, the big news last week was that his successor will be Sadia Sahidi, who is currently the managing director at the World Economic Forum, and who ta- will take up the IATA role on November 1.
Meanwhile, Willie will soon take up yet another airline CEO role, heading up Indian carrier IndiGo, so the journey continues.
Willie, we really have to start with that big announcement last week, um, that, uh, Sadia from the World Economic Forum will be, uh, the new IATA director general.
Uh, Willie, of course, is director general at the International Air Transport Association, or IATA, that represents more than 370 airlines, accounting for some 85% of global air traffic.
Willie took the helm in April 2021, and that continued a long and illustrious career that included the roles of CEO at Aer Lingus, British Airways, and International Airlines Group.
Willie will relinquish his IATA role at the end of this week, and of course, the big news last week was that his successor will be Sadia Sahidi, who is currently the managing director at the World Economic Forum, and who ta- will take up the IATA role on November 1.
Meanwhile, Willie will soon take up yet another airline CEO role, heading up Indian carrier IndiGo, so the journey continues.
Willie, we really have to start with that big announcement last week, um, that, uh, Sadia from the World Economic Forum will be, uh, the new IATA director general.
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