The civil aviation industry has undergone dramatic international restructuring in recent years. This has given a very high profile role to the ITF in the co-ordination of international activities and the representation of civil aviation unions in international bodies.

Civil aviation section structure

Regularly, the section holds a civil aviation section meeting of all civil aviation affiliates. This is the main policy making body of the section. Regional meetings and seminars are held in Asia/Pacific, Latin America, Africa, Europe, North America and the Arab speaking world. A section committee carries forward the decisions of the section in between meetings.

Special committees for cabin crew, ground staff and air traffic services meet to discuss issues specific to those groups of workers.

The section has a number of working groups dealing with practical issues such as occupational health and safety, low cost carriers and integrators. These working groups meet according to their own programmes of work.

International Representation

The ITF represents civil aviation unions at a number of key international regulatory bodies including the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The section attaches particular importance to its work in ICAO which sets world standards for aviation safety. The ITF is represented at discussions about the harmonisation of safety rules between the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States.