UN calls meeting of aviation bodies in wake of rash of air disasters
The United Nations has called a meeting of various international air agencies in the wake of a spate of aircraft disasters ranging from crashes to missile strikes.
Reuters reports that the meeting will take place in Montreal, Canada. The International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Air Transport Association will attend the meeting, in addition to a number of national flight agencies. The Civil Air Navigation Services Organization and Airports Council International will also be in attendance.
Reuters notes that the organizations do not have any legal authority, and it will probably be a discussion and exchange of best practices for ensuring the safety of both domestic and international air travel.
One of the major purposes of the meeting will be the discussion of issuing risk advisories for various airspaces. Another issue for discussion will be if the organizations could be held responsible if an air traffic catastrophe occurs, and they did not issue any warning.
Reuters notes the conference was driven by major airlines' calls for a discussion of the recent shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine. Among those who have made public statements urging such a meeting are Dubai's Emirates Air Line and Germany's Lufthansa.
The president of Dubai Emirates said that he was concerned about whether or not smaller nations with international flights were fully appraised of the security risks from regional conflicts such as those in eastern Ukraine, the Central African Republic, and Syria and Iraq.
Similar meetings have taken place in the past. Most notably in 1983 when the Soviet Union shot down Korean Airlines flight 007, and when the United States shot down Iran Air Flight 655 over the Persian Gulf in 1988.
Reuters notes it is an uphill battle to create real change however, as it would require changes to the 1947 Chicago Convention, which put in place most of the laws and norms governing international air travel.
