The 82nd Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS) are to begin today (June 6) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
According to the IATA which represents over 370 airlines accounting for some 85% of global air traffic, about 1,500 global aviation industry leaders, government officials, and media are expected to participate at the gathering from 6-8 June 2026.
Rio de Janeiro had also organized the AGM in 1999.
“We are thrilled to meet in South America after 27 years,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Brazil continues to consolidate its leadership in South America, reaching nine million international visitors in 2025, IATA added.
Aviation demand in South America’s largest aviation market remains strong. In 2025, Brazil recorded an 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% as compared to 2024, gaining 20.4 percentage points on 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
“As the host airline of the 82nd IATA Annual General Meeting, LATAM Airlines Group is honored to welcome members of the global aviation community to Brazil,” said Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group.
World Air Transport Summit
The World Air Transport Summit (WATS), which follows immediately after the AGM, will address key issues facing the aviation industry with an ambitious agenda of global and regional topics, IATA added.
The program also includes the eighth edition of the IATA Diversity & Inclusion Awards. These awards recognize individuals and organizations who are advancing gender balance in the industry through the 25by2025 initiative.
Meanwhile, the IATA is expanding the presence of its cargo offerings in Latin America, including the Cargo Accounts Settlement Systems (CASS) that plays a vital role in streamlining the global movement of air cargo by simplifying the billing and settlement of accounts between airlines and freight forwarders, it reads.
Mexico is one of the largest air cargo markets in the region. CASS Export is planned to open in Paraguay in the last quarter of 2026. IATA also plans to introduce CASS Domestic in Brazil from early 2027.
