The resource aims to create awareness among civil aviation unions of the immediate and long-term dangers stemming from an expansion of FOC practices in the global civil aviation industry.
It sets out the background and provides case studies of airlines trying to use FOCs at the expense of decent labour standards.
It also aids unions to identify problems in their own country and to report back to the ITF civil aviation section on their experiences, which will help share best practice and shape policy.
New materials will be added to the module, particularly in light of how the civil aviation industry is hit by the ongoing and fundamental changes in the way it is managed, operated and regulated.
ITF civil aviation secretary Gabriel Mocho explained: “Many affiliates had asked us for more information or support in tackling the threat of FOCs in aviation, of which Norwegian Air’s attempts to break into new markets with social dumping is a classic example.
“We believe that competition in long haul aviation needs to be transparent and fair, and not produce a downward drive for workers’ rights.
We are learning from the experience of our maritime unions, and will be keeping up the international pressure on this issue.”
FOCs have long been a feature of the maritime industry but are spreading into aviation, as liberalisation and deregulation have allowed airlines to register themselves and their aircraft in countries where safety oversight is below internationally-agreed standards.
Just recently, the ITF, ETF and affiliates in Europe and the United States hailed as a campaign victory the decision by the US to refuse Norwegian Air International an exemption for a foreign air carrier permit.
The ITF urges all its civil aviation affiliates to use the eight-page education module, and welcomes all feedback on how they have used the material and how it could be updated and developed.
The resource will also be available in Russian, Arabic, French and Spanish on 31 October.
New help for unions to challenge aviation flags of convenience
news
ON THE GROUND
news
Worldwide Inspectors unite in Cyprus to defend seafarers’ rights
More than 130 ITF inspectors from across the globe have come together in Limassol, Cyprus, for the ITF’s Worldwide Inspectors Seminar (22–25 September 2025) this week. The seminar, held once every
news
Press Release
ITF solidarity statement with the Global Sumud Flotilla
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), representing over 16.5 million transport workers across 150 countries, stands in unwavering solidarity with the Global Sumud Flotilla and all
news
Young dockers and seafarers unite in Cyprus to build skills and solidarity
Last week, young dockers and seafarers from across the globe came together in Cyprus for the ITF Maritime Roundtable – a space for young maritime trade unionists to learn, share and grow as leaders in