Aviation and International Affairs

Every international flight depends on agreements negotiated between governments. The sky, in other words, is a diplomatic subject.

The Chicago Convention

In December 1944, with the Second World War still under way, delegates meeting in Chicago concluded the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The convention set the rules by which nations recognize one another's airspace and aircraft, and it created the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations agency that still sets global standards for air navigation and safety.

Air Transport Agreements

Which airlines may fly between two countries, and on what terms, is settled by treaty. The Department of State negotiates these air transport agreements on behalf of the United States, working with the Departments of Transportation and Commerce. Beginning with the Netherlands in 1992, the United States has pursued "Open Skies" agreements that remove government restrictions on routes, capacity, and pricing between partner countries.

Where the Disciplines Meet

Aviation and diplomacy share a culture: precision, procedure, and respect for complex systems in which small errors compound. Officers trained in aeronautics bring that discipline with them. Featured Honoree Songkane Sackaly holds a degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in addition to his graduate degree in international affairs.