3 June 2024 (Dubai, UAE) - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) today reported that some 40 airlines have signed a formal agreement to contribute their schedules data to the IATA Schedule Data Exchange Program. A further 40 are in the process of preparing to join. Work on the program began in October 2023 with the first release planned in March 2025.

'The early and strong support for the IATA Schedule Data Exchange Program bodes well for its success. Coverage is growing with each new airline that comes on board. And we encourage all airlines—IATA members and non-members—to join this strategic industry effort,' said Willie Walsh, IATA's Director General.

The Schedule Data Exchange Program will collect schedules, capacity, and minimum connecting time (MCT) data used in several IATA products and services supporting network development, revenue management, slot coordination and interline agreements. IATA is not creating a commercial product aimed at replacing or competing with entities currently distributing schedule data. Participating airlines will have access to the data on a give-to-get principle.

The program is open to both IATA and non-IATA member airlines. Participating airlines will submit their data to IATA with the same format, frequency, and transmission method they currently use to distribute their schedules. The data sharing principles and data release policy of the program are determined by an advisory group comprised of participating carriers.

'The IATA Board of Governors has set a strategic priority for IATA to be the most authoritative source of industry data across a wide range of topics. The value this creates for the industry is apparent in critical IATA data sets from safety and operations to business intelligence. There is also an industry interest in ensuring that industry data has the potential to be provided through several sources. Airlines are all too familiar with the detrimental impacts of having limited competition in their supplier communities,' said Walsh.