ICAO has invited its 193 member states to the Seventh Worldwide Air Transport Conference, taking place at the organisation’s Montréal headquarters from 16 to 20 November. The meeting will review the economic policy framework for international air transport for the first time since the previous conference in 2013, with discussions covering regulation, passenger protection, industry resilience and financing for cleaner aviation fuels.
The agenda includes passenger rights, aviation taxes and charges, and investment in sustainable aviation fuels. Delegates will also consider supply-chain resilience, operational disruption and regulatory approaches to emerging technologies, including air taxis and supersonic aircraft. ICAO expects the conference to conclude with a joint ministerial declaration.
The conference will coincide with an extraordinary session of the ICAO Assembly on 19 and 20 November. Its purpose is to elect four additional members to the ICAO Council, whose membership is expanding from 36 to 40 following the entry into force of an amendment to the Chicago Convention in June.
The conference will examine developments and regulatory progress since 2013 across passenger, cargo and mail services. Its agenda also covers market access, liberalisation, competition and emergency planning, alongside financing approaches involving private investment and public-private partnerships. Outcomes may inform future ICAO policy guidance, while any resulting measures will depend on decisions by member states and subsequent implementation.