OREANDA-NEWS. Miami International Airport welcomed aviation executives from around the globe to Miami this week for the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) 71st Annual General Meeting held in Miami Beach. IATA is the world's leading airline association with 250 member carriers, and MIA proudly took on the roles of host airport and event participant, with Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) Director Emilio T. Gonzalez serving as a panel speaker and meeting with numerous international airline executives during the three-day gathering.

Gonzalez joined an impressive lineup of fellow aviation leaders for a discussion on how best to meet future airport infrastructure needs in the context of steady commercial air travel growth. The panel was moderated by Star Alliance CEO Mark Schwab and included: Cathay Pacific Airways CEO Ivan Chu; Aeromexico CEO Andres Conesa; FAA Administrator Michael Huerta; and Richard Deakin, past UK NATS Chief Executive. Panelists stressed the need for greater cooperation between aviation stakeholders and government regulatory agencies to move airport projects forward expeditiously.

The group also agreed on the importance of leveraging technology to maximize the efficiency and capacity of future airport infrastructure projects.

Aside from serving as a panelist, Gonzalez joined fellow MIA officials for a series of one-on-one meetings with airline executives attending the IATA summit. Beginning last week, MIA representatives met with the CEOs of numerous international carriers, including Qatar Airways, which celebrated its first year of Five-Star Miami-Doha service this week. MIA representatives also met with the CEO of Turkish Airlines, which launches daily Miami-Istanbul service on October 25. The series of high-level meetings was in direct keeping with MIA's strategic goal of transforming the Gateway of the Americas into a truly global gateway with access to all key world regions.

"We are grateful to our friends at IATA for choosing Miami as the site of their 2015 Annual General Meeting and appreciate their partnership with MIA," said Gonzalez. "This premier event is a who's who of the global airline industry that provides immediate and long-term benefits to MIA and our community."