ICAO’s Global Treaties Keep Skies Safe and Nations Connected

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) remains at the heart of the legal system that keeps global air travel safe, secure, and efficient. Its foundation lies in the Chicago Convention of 1944, the historic treaty that established the rules for international civil aviation and created ICAO itself.

Since then, according to the report, ICAO has built on this legacy with a series of landmark agreements to address new challenges in the skies. These include the Tokyo Convention (1963) on crimes committed onboard aircraft, the Hague Convention (1970) against hijacking, the Montreal Convention (1999) modernizing airline liability rules, and the Beijing Convention (2010) tackling emerging threats like aviation-related terrorism.

Each treaty strengthens safety, security, and cooperation between nations, ensuring that the aviation industry adapts to changing risks while maintaining public trust.

For nearly eight decades, ICAO’s legal framework has provided the stability that allows over 100,000 flights a day to cross borders reliably. As aviation evolves, these conventions continue to safeguard the future of global air transport.