The Arab Air Carriers’ Organization (AACO) opened its 59th Annual General Meeting in Doha on Monday, with more than 200 aviation executives and stakeholders attending, according to a Qatar Airways press release.

Qatar Airways hosts the meeting from November 2 to 4 at the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort and Convention Hotel. The release said that Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, is the patron of the meeting.

Participants include chief executives of AACO member airlines, partner carriers, and representatives of leading aviation organisations. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Hamad Al-Khater, who chairs the meeting, and AACO Secretary General Abdul Wahab Teffaha gave the opening addresses.

Al-Khater said the industry is going through a very difficult period, with geopolitical developments continuing to disrupt global connectivity. He said that in this situation “regional cooperation has become our greatest strength.”

Teffaha thanked Qatar for its patronage and Qatar Airways for hosting. He said the industry faces complex challenges, from geopolitical uncertainty and operational pressure to the growing need for environmental sustainability, but that Arab airlines have shown they can adapt and innovate. He said the meeting is a platform to exchange views and find practical solutions to shared challenges.

Working sessions on Tuesday will begin with Teffaha’s “State of the Industry” report, followed by a speech from Arab Civil Aviation Organization Director General Khalid Cherkaoui and a Bloomberg presentation on the global economic outlook. The programme also includes the Arab Aviation Summit, which features a panel of airline chief executives and aviation leaders, as well as a closed-door session for AACO members.

Founded in 1965 under the Arab League, AACO has 39 member airlines and five partner airlines. Its members operated about 4,604 daily flights in 2025, serving 502 airports in 129 countries, according to the release.

Source: Qatar Airways