UN aviation gathering opens under shadow of cyberattacks

A global gathering of aviation leaders starting yesterday in Montreal will need to navigate international rifts as it confronts high-tech threats, rising pollution from flights and labour shortages.

- ALLISON LAMPERT

Technology is easing global aviation but remains vulnerable to attacks, with some of Europe's biggest airports still facing disruptions on Monday after hackers knocked out automated check-in systems. Delegates to the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization's triennial assembly from Sept 23 to Oct 3 have called for international cooperation to counter cyber threats.

The agency, born in 1944 to manage the skies with a consensus-driven approach, is facing geopolitical tensions. Its 36-state governing council has weighed in on Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and actions by North Korea, reproaching them for disturbances to critical satellite navigation systems that violated international rules on aviation.