Civil aviation fulfils a purpose that transcends politics to ‘create and preserve friendship and understanding among the nations and peoples of the world’. The Chicago Convention, signed eighty years ago as the Second World War raged, begins with those words. They are a timeless reminder of civil aviation’s essential and unique role in connecting people and delivering goods over vast distances. In the turbulent world of 2024, the truth of the Chicago Convention’s preamble rings loudly.
We all want to live in a world at peace. Sadly, today, that is far from reality for many people. That is why it is necessary to remind all involved in conflict of the need to ensure that flights are safe, and that critical airport and air navigation infrastructure is not targeted in any hostilities.
Civil aviation does not take sides in political conflicts. As an industry that requires the effective implementation of global standards to operate, aviation upholds global standards and the international rules-based order on which they rely. As the name implies, civil aviation serves the civilian population. It must be kept out of harm’s way by all actors in a conflict. This is the firm belief of IATA. More importantly, it is the unquestionable obligation of governments under international law.
For example:
- Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights protects the freedom of movement domestically and internationally.
- Article 48 of the Fourth Geneva Convention holds that combatants in conflict must not target civilian objects.
- Basic norms of customary international law require that all parties to a conflict allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need and ensure the freedom of movement of authorized humanitarian relief personnel.
These international legal obligations will be unfulfillable should the line between military and civil aviation blur, even in the slightest. That would bring deeply troubling consequences for innocent populations trying to survive through conflict, and especially for those in need of humanitarian aid.
Moreover, the Chicago Convention explicitly obliges states to protect civil aircraft and passengers in flight, refrain from the use of force against civil aircraft, and by corollary coordinate and communicate any activities potentially hazardous to civil aviation. These are essential to keep flying safe.
As the world works towards more peaceful days, aviation will support the effort by connecting people and goods. In the meantime, combatants must know and abide by the rules of conflict and humanitarian assistance as laid out in international law.
To simplify: do no harm to civilian aircraft, airports or air navigation services. This is non-negotiable and must be respected, even at the height of hostility.
