‘Guarantees are not up to IATA’

Von Mansberg responds to new GSA ruling ALAN PEAT THE INTERNATIONAL Air Transport Association (Iata) is a “toothless body”, said Gerd von Mansberg, chairman of Cargo Connections, in response to the news that the Federation of Airline General Sales Agents (Fagsa) said it had secured agreement from Iata for the return of bank guarantees to its members throughout Europe (See page 13). The federation had also asked for Iata resolution 871 to be re-written to include these provisions on an international basis. “But,” said Von Mansberg, “this is an academic proclamation. “It doesn’t matter what Iata publishes, the airlines will still choose whether to impose bank guarantees or not.” And he doesn’t see many of them doing away with the need for guarantees. “We’ve been fighting with the airlines for a long time about this,” Von Mansberg told FTW. “But I can’t see general sales agents (GSAs) insisting on the withdrawal Iata is asking for – as the airlines would just tell them to go away, and place their business somewhere else.” As far as he’s concerned, no matter what these bodies publish as their policy, the matter of guarantees will remain “a commercial negotiation”.