Japan Airlines (JAL) achieved a profit of ¥71.4 billion ($680 million) for the six months through Sept. 30, down 31% compared to the previous year.

ANA Holdings reported a net profit of ¥57.4 billion ($546 million) for the six months through Sept. 30, up 6.4% from a ¥53.9 billion profit a year earlier.

IATA’s new leader likes to talk and think speed. His comfort zone is the high gear: seeing the goal, setting the course of pursuit. At previous companies where he worked, the Frenchman admits with a smile, he was known by the words “allez! allez! allez!”—let’s go! This is a man who relishes the race to accomplishment, not the frustration of bureaucratic red tape and inaction.

Few would dispute that Qantas has pulled off one of the most dramatic airline turnarounds in recent history. However, the Australian carrier now faces an arguably greater challenge—translating this revival into long-term financial stability. Breaking out of the boom and bust cycle is the holy grail of the airline industry. Any carrier can slash costs to move out of the red, yet the real trick is ensuring this is not just a temporary reprieve but a means of creating a model that can thrive despite external shocks.

You became the IATA director general having run a major airline group and held prominent industry and government positions. What most appealed to you about this post? I have spent 20 years in this business—with seven or eight years in between in government. When you have worked for more than 20 years in the aviation business, at an OEM, at an airline, you see the business from two different perspectives. Now I see it from a third angle, which is probably higher than the others, and that’s from the general interests of the industry.