Aviation

IATA developing Asia's third training centre in New Delhi

Andrea Lopez - Mumbai

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has revealed that it is in the process of developing a regional training centre in New Delhi which will be fully functional by early 2009. This will be IATA's seventh global training centre, the previous six being located in Geneva, Montreal, Miami, Singapore, Beijing and Amsterdam.

Peggy Esseldeurs, assistant director, travel and tourism, IATA Training and Development Institute, who was in Mumbai recently, said, "We decided to set up a regional centre in New Delhi because we realised that the demand for specific courses had increased in India. Earlier, students had to travel to Singapore or Beijing for the same training."

Speaking about the zero per cent commission issue and the relevance that IATA certification would hold in such a scenario, Esseldeurs said, "I think the industry is panicking for no reason. Zero commissions are being practiced in many parts of the world. As for IATA's certification holding value, we have not seen our courses being affected at all. Europe, for instance, that functions on a zero commission model has not seen any drop in the number of students taking up courses."