Travel: Time for a Diplomat

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Since 1946, when the International Air Transport Association was set up by the Western world's major airlines, the organization has been headed by Britain's Sir William ("Dick") Hildred, now 72. Under Hildred, IATA has set standards for everything from meals to airplane-seat sizes. From his headquarters in Montreal, Hildred has long courted controversy, and both friend and enemy agreed that above all he was a fare man.

Sir William claims that IATA has, under his management, reduced international fares. His critics insist that fares would be even lower, were it not for IATA-recommended rates. It is hard to tell who is right. When IATA was established, a first-class round-trip ticket between New York and London cost $650. Now, with many more planes and a much stiffer competitive situation, that same ticket costs $712.50. But under IATA auspices a whole range of cheaper tickets—tourist class, economy class and excursion rates—has been introduced, so that the truly thrifty tourist can now fly from New York to London and back for as little as $300.

Hildred is proud of this record. "I think that the young people of today want to get from A to B as quickly and cheaply as they can," he says. "I don't think that they mind being squeezed up a little." The critics say that under Hildred's seat-size standards, anyone who makes an international flight at any level below first class is likely to get squeezed up a lot. Sir William also aroused resentment by helping European airlines in their unsuccessful efforts to stop U.S. airlines from showing in-flight movies. Says he: "The airlines' job is transportation, not running a cinema in an airplane."

Last week Hildred finally retired as head of IATA. In picking his successor, IATA members clearly showed that they thought it was time to have a diplomat instead of a curmudgeon to lead the organization. Taking over is Knut HammarskjÖld, 44, a nephew of the United Nations' late Dag HammarskjÖld. Knut has most recently served as deputy secretary-general of the European Free Trade Association in Geneva. He seems to lean toward lower fares, but everyone expects that whatever he does, he will do it more tactfully than Hildred.