State Responsibility for Airports and Air Navigation Services in the Modern Age
This panel will examine the evolving scope of State responsibility for airports and air navigation
services in an era of increasing privatization, automation, public-private partnerships, regional
arrangements. and cross-border operations. Furthermore, across many regions institutional reforms
have advanced the structural separation of regulatory oversight from the operation of airports and
air navigation services to enhance transparency, reduce conflicts of interest, and strengthen safety
oversight. As infrastructure ownership and service provision diversify, questions of liability for safety,
security, and compliance have become more complex. Panelists will explore how international
conventions, national laws, and contractual frameworks allocate responsibility among States,
operators, and third-party providers, and consider the implications for accountability when failures
occur. The discussion will highlight emerging legal trends and practical approaches to ensuring
clarity and consistency in liability regimes for critical aviation infrastructure.
Moderator:
Siew Huay Tan, Director Special Projects (International Air law), Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
(CAAS), Singapore
Panellists:
- Keith Major Jnr, Legal Counsel, Bahamas Air Navigation Services Authority (BANSA), The Bahamas
- Chester Salazar del Pozo, Representative of Ecuador on the ICAO Council
- Camille Royes, General Counsel & Company Secretary, MBJ Airports Limited, Jamaica
- Lina Albahouth, Senior Legal Specialist, General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia