More than 500 new air service agreements have been signed

In recognition of aviation’s crucial role as a catalyst for sustainable development worldwide, ICAO’s Air Services Negotiation (ICAN) event was launched in 2008 to facilitate the initiation or renegotiation of the bilateral and multilateral State agreements that form the regulatory foundation of the modern civil aviation network.

ICAO promotes several key priorities for States when supporting their air services negotiations, including liberalized market access for airlines, the removal of barriers to access wider capital markets, and relaxed nationality requirements for airlines’ ownership. Air service agreements (ASA) provide the legal framework for airlines to have permission to fly between countries. They often include provisions for capacity and frequency, tariffs, fares and regulatory compliance and other requirements that ultimately contribute to the development and growth of the global aviation industry.

During the most recent ICAN event 521 new international air service agreements have resulted from its most recent ICAN event, which was attended by over 700 participants representing 97 countries. These represent record-breaking outcomes for this edition of the annual meeting, which was generously hosted by the General Authority of Civil Aviation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Priorities include commitments to convergent and effective regulatory practices supported by good governance, and recognition of the need for modernized infrastructure and passenger facilitation processes. Those commitments will continue to support safety, security, environmental sustainability, capacity, and resilience objectives, as well as the implementation of effective national competition and consumer protection frameworks, and full compliance with current ICAO policy guidance on taxes, charges, and fees.

Aspirational goals agreed by governments towards the decarbonization of air transport by 2050 support the expansion of air service agreements associated with these environmental engagements. This is further supported by initiatives led by ICAO to support the development and implementation of the technologies, operational improvements, and cleaner aviation fuels that decarbonization requires. This latest edition of ICAN took place in Riyadh from 3 to 7 December 2024.

ICAO has a World Air Services Agreements (WASA) database that contains information on bilateral and multilateral air service agreements governing commercial air transport services between signatory countries. The (WASA) tool enables regulators and aviation experts to evaluate developments in the air transport field, run comparative analyses of air services agreements, assess the degree of liberalization, research route planning options.

WASA is a valuable resource for policymakers, aviation authorities, airlines, and other stakeholders involved in international air transport. It helps facilitate transparency, cooperation, and compliance with international aviation regulations, ultimately contributing to the development and growth of the global aviation industry.WASA contains texts and analyses of bilateral air services agreements and amendments that are officially registered with ICAO (Art. 83 of the Chicago Convention), as well as other agreements and arrangements. For a free demo, click here or send an email here.