The top cargo official at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will exit early next year as part of a restructuring to reduce costs amid a global pandemic that has wrecked the finances of member airlines.
IATA confirmed that Glyn Hughes, the global head of cargo, and Gordon Wright, in charge of cargo border management, have accepted voluntary separation packages and will depart at the end of January.
“During this time there will be no change in the support, advice and services IATA provides while we work to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities following their departures,” IATA said in a statement provided to FreightWaves.
As previously reported, IATA is cutting a fifth of its staff due to the economic effects of the coronavirus on the aviation industry. The group has also asked senior managers to take pay cuts and reduce other operating expenses.
Hughes has led IATA’s cargo programs since mid-2014, acting as a resource for airlines and as an intermediary on regulatory issues with government regulators around the world. He is currently active in helping the industry deal with government travel and border restrictions that impede cargo flights and prepare for the logistics challenge of safely delivering sensitive COVID-19 vaccines on an expedited basis.
The Loadstar, a logistics publication based in the U.K., was first to write about Hughes’ departure.
Click here for more FreightWaves and American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.
RELATED NEWS:
United Cargo spared brunt of airline’s job cuts
Airlines say survival depends on bailouts, reopened borders
Analysis: Airlines eliminate change fees – and thousands of jobs
