The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has set up a programme to counter the threat of the Millennium bug, and has begun with an inventory of systems which could fail in the transition to the year 2000.
At an IATA conference in Dubai in late April, director-general Pierre Jeanniot told delegates that the objective is to "-maintain safety margins" and to ensure that sufficient capacity is available through the date change.
IATA says that the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the Airports Council International are co-operating fully, while the Air Transport Association of America has joined IATA to set up a US inventory database and a regional awareness campaign. This will involve teams of year 2000 "specialists" advising airport and air traffic control personnel.
IATA says that its member airlines are already prepared to spend an estimated $1.6 billion on remedial work.
Source: Flight International
