IATA ties up with Maldives to train aviation students

Hiran H. Senewiratne

EDUCATION: Leading IATA Travel Consultant and IATA Professional Instructor Deepal Perera has come to an agreement with the Maldivian Government at their Tourism Faculty to teach students on air fares and ticketing every year.

This year we had 34 students who attended classes for 7 days on full time basis in Maldives. In addition to air fares and ticketing they were taught E Ticketing, GDS, Reservation, Travel Agency and Airline Marketing, he said.

In year 2005 Villa travels staff too attended the above course in Maldives. Tourism, as a subject is compulsory in schools in the Maldives.

The course was conducted by Perera and his wife Mayoni Perera (IATA Customer Service) "The students were very keen in learning all these subjects and all the 34 students were graduated" he said.

The Chief Guest at the Awards Ceremony was Inthikab Ahmed, Deputy Director, Island Aviation in Maldives. The Faculty was very supportive in organising everything to make this course a success.

Most of the students who graduated will be working for the Tourism Industry in Maldives, he said.

In Sri Lanka his International Airline Ticketing Academy (IATA) is offering 5 courses which award Diplomas in Airline Fares/Ticketing, Reservations, GDS amadeus, Marketing, Airport Handling and Cargo, Airline Cabin Crew Training GDS amadeus, IATA/UFTAA Foundation Diploma and IATA/UFTAA GDS Fares/Ticketing. Our institute is the first IATA authorised training centre in Sri Lanka to conduct courses of this nature.