The ITF responds to International Air Transport Association AGM
In response to discussions at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting, which took place this week in Brazil, ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said:
"Much of the discussion at this year's IATA Annual General Meeting reflected concerns that aviation workers have been raising for years. Supply chain disruptions, infrastructure constraints, workforce shortages and the pace of decarbonisation are not temporary challenges, they are structural issues that require long-term solutions.
"The current supply chain crisis has exposed weaknesses across the aviation system. Delayed aircraft deliveries, engine reliability issues, parts shortages and maintenance backlogs are creating operational pressures throughout the industry. While airlines face higher costs and reduced efficiency, workers are often the ones carrying the burden through increased workloads, disrupted schedules and growing uncertainty.
"But perhaps the greatest challenge facing aviation is one that receives far less attention than aircraft orders or infrastructure projects – attracting, retaining and developing the skilled workforce on which the industry's future depends. For far too long, parts of the industry have failed to recognise that decent work is a strategic necessity, not a cost to be managed. Secure employment, fair wages, quality training, safe working conditions, predictable schedules and genuine opportunities for career development are essential if aviation is to attract and retain the next generation of workers.
"The workforce pressures facing aviation today are largely the result of years of short-term thinking. Cost-cutting, outsourcing, precarious employment models and downward pressure on labour standards may pad the bottom line in the short term, but they undermine the resilience and sustainability of the industry over time.
"The industry cannot continue to talk about labour shortages while overlooking the importance of decent work. If aviation wants to attract and retain the skilled workers it needs, it must offer jobs that people want to build careers around.
"Worker wellbeing, decent work, quality training and strong labour standards are not social add ons to aviation policy, they are fundamental enablers of safety, resilience and long-term industry success. The aviation industry's most important infrastructure is its human infrastructure.
"The ITF supports the industry's commitment to decarbonisation. But achieving net-zero aviation will require more than targets and declarations. Governments, airlines, manufacturers, fuel providers and financial institutions must work together to mobilise the investment needed to scale up sustainable aviation fuels and build the infrastructure required for a lower carbon future.
"Most importantly, the transition must be a Just Transition. Workers cannot be expected to shoulder the risks and costs while others capture the benefits. Climate action, industrial policy and workforce development must advance togethe:. the path to net-zero aviation must create good jobs, strengthen workers' rights and ensure that no worker or country is left behind.
"Throughout this period of change, safety must remain aviation's non-negotiable priority. No commercial, operational or environmental objective can justify compromising safety standards, workforce competence or effective regulatory oversight. A strong safety culture depends on a skilled, supported and empowered workforce.
"The ITF and its affiliated unions stand ready to work with airlines, manufacturers, governments, regulators and industry partners to address these challenges. Aviation's future will be strongest when workers have a meaningful voice in shaping the decisions that affect the industry they keep running every day.
"The industry's future depends not only on aircraft, engines and infrastructure, but on the millions of skilled workers who operate, maintain and support the global air transport system. Their expertise, experience and commitment are essential to delivering the safe, resilient and sustainable aviation sector that the world needs."
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- The IATA 83rd Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit took place on 6-8 June 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hosted by LATAM Airlines Group.
