Chris2303,
In its early days IATA was concerned too much with ticket pricing and meals standards etc. But now, as well as cting as a clearing house, a large part of IATA's work has been to work alongside ICAO to improve the Standards and Recommended Practices and to promote their application by member states to provide consistent standards for better worldwide ATC, airports and air navigation facilities.
https://www.icao.int/safety/safetyma...ges/sarps.aspx
In the early days it was much like a cartel, but since then it has moved with the times, pushing for safer standards, more ATC and airport capacity to reduce delays and greater cost effectiveness. It also conducts safety audits for member airlines.
https://www.iata.org/whatwedo/safety...ges/index.aspx