Transport Ministers to Debate Volcano Air Traffic Crisis at Meeting in May

Transport ministers and delegates from 52 member countries of the International Transport Forum (ITF), the transport policy body at the OECD, will discuss possible consequences from the disruption of international air transport due to the eruption of volcano Eyjafjallajökull at their annual summit in Leipzig, Germany, on May 26-28, 2010.

Canada, which holds the presidency of the 2010 Forum, will include the issue on the agenda of the meeting to be held in Leipzig.

Jack Short, Secretary-General of the ITF, welcomed the decision. “It is vital for safe and efficient air travel that lessons be drawn from the worst disruption of air transport since the 9/11 attacks”, said Short. “We should focus not only on air travel, but work on risk management for all modes of transport. This crisis should encourage innovation in incident management, risk analysis and even technology.”

More information about the 2010 International Transport Forum is available online at www.internationaltransportforum.org/2010/index.html, including the April 2010 Preliminary Programme with a more complete list of speakers, along with details regarding registration and media accreditation.