JAKARTA. The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has appointed flag carrier Garuda Indonesia president director Emirsyah Satar as its chairman for the 2015 period.

Emirsyah succeeds All Nippon Airways CEO Osamu Shinobe, who led the association through 2014.

“Emirsyah was appointed during the AAPA 58th Assembly of Presidents in Tokyo, which ran from Tuesday to Wednesday [this week]. This is the second time we have been appointed to lead the association,” Garuda vice president for communications Pujobroto told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

The carrier joined AAPA in 1967 and its president director Abdulgani, who managed Garuda in tough times between 1998 and 2002, was appointed AAPA chairman in 2001.

“Every year, the chairmanship of the association is revolved. We are proud to have been appointed as the chair again. Garuda is committed to finding better solutions for Asia Pacific carriers,” he said.

AAPA, which was established in 1966 in Manila, currently has 16 members including Asiana Airlines, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Royal Brunei Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and Singapore Airlines.

In addition, Pujobroto said that during the 58th Assembly of Presidents, AAPA had decided to strengthen its knowledge-sharing activities in a number of sectors including safety, air traffic management and surveillance, security, services and unfair taxation.

He said that the association also urged every nation across the globe to work and collaborate with the WHO to anticipate the widespread transmission of any communicable diseases.

“The environment is also one of the issues that the association addressed during the assembly. AAPA wants the governments of all countries to work closely with the aviation industry to develop and implement schemes that will lead to economic sustainability,” he added. (Nurfika Osman)

Editor: Hendra Gunawan