Programme

The Fourth Civil Aviation Legal Advisers Forum (CALAF/4)
Nassau, The Bahamas, 27 – 29 May 2026

Programme

The Future of International Civil Aviation: Legal Trends and Institutional Resilience

Tuesday 26 May 2026

Registration and badge pickup
The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Hotel
14:00 – 17:00

DAY 1 – Wednesday, 27 May 2026
[xxx] Room, The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Hotel

Registration and badge pickup
07:00 – 08:50

Open Attendance

Opening Ceremony
09:00 – 10:00
[xxx] Room, The Grand Hyatt Baha Mar Hotel

-    [Bahamas Government VIP]
-    Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
-    Chequita M. Johnson, Director General, Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas

10:00 – 10:30
Briefing on the State of International Air Law: Beyond the Clouds – Legal pathways enabling the future of air transport
Presenter: Michael Gill, Director, Legal Affairs and External Relations Bureau, ICAO

This briefing will provide a strategic overview of recent developments in international air law, emerging legal pressures on the global aviation system, and the role of ICAO’s legal framework in ensuring stability, adaptability and coherence in a rapidly evolving operational environment.

[Note: Director of Ceremonies, Ryan Sands, Legal Counsel, Civil Aviation Authority, Bahamas]

Group Photo Session
REFRESHMENT INTERLUDE
10:30 – 11:00

Panel 1
Directors General Roundtable
11:30 – 12: 30
United Skies – Regional Solidarity and Stakeholder Synergy for a Safer, Smarter, and Sustainable Future for Aviation

Senior aviation leaders from across regions will explore collaborative approaches to advancing global aviation priorities. This high-level panel will highlight the importance of regional cooperation, including between States with similar priorities, and strategic engagement with industry stakeholders to enhance safety, foster innovation, and promote sustainability. Through shared experiences and forward-looking dialogue, participants will examine how unified efforts can strengthen institutional resilience and shape a more integrated and responsive aviation ecosystem and chart a forward-looking path for the global aviation sector. The session will highlight the contributions of prior CALAF Host administrations and showcase the growing leadership of women at the helm of civil aviation in their States.

Moderator: Alice Serpa Braga, Attorney for Federal Agencies, Attorney’s Office, National Civil Aviation Agency, Brazil, and Chairperson of the ICAO Legal Committee

LUNCH INTERLUDE
12:30 – 13:45

Panel 2
13:45 – 14:45
Emerging Litigation Trends in Aviation and Impacts on International Air Law Treaties
[“From Conventions to Courtrooms- the legal evolution of global air law”]

This session will explore how evolving disputes, ranging from passenger rights and personal injury claims, financing disputes, and environmental accountability, unruly passenger incidents to cybersecurity breaches, are reshaping the global air law landscape. It will examine the growing complexity of cross-border litigation and enforcement, the influence of legislatures and national courts on treaty interpretation, and the pressure these developments place on established treaty frameworks such as the Montreal Convention, Cape Town Convention and the Chicago Convention. By analysing recent case law and regulatory responses as well as legislative actions, the discussion will highlight how those trends challenge uniform interpretation of treaties and whether current treaties can adapt to new challenges or require modernization to maintain uniformity and predictability in international air law.

Moderator: George Leloudas, Professor, Institute of International Shipping and Trade Law, Swansea University

Panellists:

Robert Lawson KC, Quadrant Chambers
Llewellyn Boyer-Cartwright, Founding & Managing Partner Harley James Law firm.
Ricardo M. Martinez-Cid, Partner, Podhurst Orseck

REFRESHMENT INTERLUDE
14:45 – 15:00

Panel 3 (Part 1)
Shaping Legal Frameworks for Liberalized Air Transport: Regulatory Policies and Partnerships for a Resilient, Sustainable and Inclusive Future
15:00 – 16:00

This panel will explore the legal and regulatory issues associated with the liberalization of international air transport, with a forward-looking perspective on the upcoming ICAO Seventh Worldwide Air Transport Conference (ATConf/7). Panellists will discuss the challenges, opportunities, and mechanisms for liberalization, focusing on the modernization of air service agreements, market access, air carrier ownership and control, and open skies policies. Associated issues, including consumer protection, fair competition, taxation, and the economic oversight of airports and air navigation services, will also be addressed. The session will examine how innovation, sustainability, and emerging technologies are reshaping legal frameworks, and consider strategies for adapting institutional structures to support a fair, efficient, and resilient global air transport system.

Moderator: Steven Truxal, Director, Institute of Air and Space Law, Leiden University

Panellists:

Vasco Viera, Legal Adviser, African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC)
Yaw Nyampong, Legal Officer, ICAO LEB

WELCOME COCKTAIL
18:00 – 20:00
Venue: John Watling’s Distillery (Shuttles will depart from and return to the Baha Mar Hotel)

DAY 2 –28 May 2026

Open to Civil Aviation Authorities

Panel 4
Counsels Roundtable: Tenacity in Turbulence: Reflections on a Challenging Role in Advising
08:00 – 09:30
This roundtable brings together experienced legal advisors to reflect on the demanding and multifaceted nature of their role in civil aviation. Through real-world scenarios and professional insights, the session will explore the legal complexities of dealing with a variety of crises and competing objectives with other entities and providing sound counsel under pressure, often with limited information and heightened political sensitivities. The discussion will highlight the resilience and judgment required of aviation legal professionals who navigate high-stakes environments to uphold legal integrity and institutional stability while maintaining the intricate balance between legal rigor and pragmatic counsel.

Panellists:

Mary Tufano Eche, Director Legal Services/Company Secretary, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigeria
Jonathan Aleck, Executive Manager, Legal, International and Regulatory Affairs, Civil Aviation Safety Agency (CASA), Australia
David Dueñas, Head of Legal Department, Civil Aeronautics Board, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Chile
Wayne Tyrell, Senior Legal Adviser/Assistant Company Secretary, Irish Aviation Authority (IAA)

Spotlight 1: Aviation Security Risk Landscape in 2025-2026
09:30 – 10:00

As 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of September 11, this commentary offers a timely opportunity to examine the aviation security risk outlook for 2025–2026 while reflecting on lessons learned over the past quarter century. The security environment is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by geopolitical instability, technological innovation, and emerging threat vectors. The presentation will highlight evolving risks, including cyberattacks, insider threats, and vulnerabilities linked to unmanned aircraft systems, and explore the role of technology and law in shaping global aviation security measures. Attendees will gain actionable insights into emerging challenges and strategies to strengthen resilience against acts of unlawful interference against civil aviation.

Open Attendance

Panel 5
The Rising Tide and Global Reach of Passenger Rights Legislation – Fragmentation to Harmonization
10:00 – 11:00
With the proliferation of national and regional passenger rights laws, this panel will examine the growing risk of legal fragmentation in international air transport. Topics include overlapping obligations under regional and national legislations (such as EU Regulation 261/2004, the U.S. Air Carrier Access Act, Canada’s APPR) and consider implications for multimodal transport. Panelists will assess the feasibility of harmonized standards, the role of treaty and ICAO provisions, and the legal implications for airlines operating across jurisdictions. The session will also explore enforcement challenges, liability gaps, and the potential for a global passenger rights framework.

Panellists:

Martine de Serres, Assistant General Counsel, Customer Regulatory and Resolution, Air Canada
Daniel Wand, 4 Kings Bench Walk Chambers, London, United Kingdon
Marco Ramazotti, Legal Adviser, Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC)
Ricardo Bernardi, Partner, Bernardi and Schnapp Advocates, Brazil

REFRESHMENT INTERLUDE
11:00 – 11:30

Panel 6:
Data Protection in International Air Carriage: Legal Challenges, Regulatory Divergence, and Opportunities for Resolution
11:30 – 12:30

As civil aviation operations increasingly depend on the timely exchange of passenger data across borders, the legal and regulatory complexities of data protection have become a central concern for States and industry stakeholders. This panel will not only examine these challenges in theory but will also draw on real-world experiences to illustrate their practical impact. Panelists will show how divergent national privacy laws, such as the GDPR and other regional frameworks, affect international air carriage, particularly in relation to passenger name records (PNR), advance passenger information (API), and other protected data. Through case examples and lessons learned, the discussion will highlight how air carriers and authorities have grappled with conflicting obligations, operational delays, and compliance risks in live scenarios. Building on the findings of the recent ICAO survey of Member States and the work of the ICAO Secretariat Study Group on Data Protection Laws (SSG-DPL), the panel will share insights into how States are implementing data protection obligations, managing cross-border compliance risks, and navigating tensions between privacy, sovereignty, and operational continuity. Practical experiences will underscore the complexity of reconciling legal conflicts and demonstrate opportunities for harmonization, mutual recognition, and enhanced regulatory cooperation —all in support of secure and seamless air transportation.

Panellists:

Auguste Hocking, Director Legal Services Regulatory and Governance, IATA
Captain James Ball, Legal Committee Chair, International Federation of Airline Pilots Association (IFALPA)
Erika Varga, Legal Officer

LUNCH INTERLUDE
12:30 – 13:45

Spotlight 2: Shaping Aviation Insurance for Emerging Aerospace Risks
13:45 – 14:15
This presentation will explore how aviation insurance frameworks are adapting to the evolving risk landscape in aerospace operations. With the rise of advanced air mobility (AAM), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), artificial intelligence (AI), and cyber threats, traditional insurance models face new challenges in underwriting, liability allocation, and regulatory compliance. The presentation will address questions such as the adequacy of existing insurance instruments under international air law; the role of States and regulators in ensuring minimum coverage and financial responsibility alongside and cross-border liability issues and the impact of privatized service providers.

Presenter: Roland Küsters Senior Underwriter & Senior Legal Counsel, Munich-Re

Panel 7:
State Responsibility for Airports and Air Navigation Services in the Modern Age
14:15 – 15:15
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.

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

REFRESHMENT INTERLUDE
15:15 – 15:45

Spotlight3: The Sky Is Not the Limit: Legal Implications of Suborbital and Near-Space Operations
15:45 – 16:30
This session examines the complex legal challenges posed by suborbital and near-space activities, including the applicable regime for hybrid activities. It explores how these challenges could affect regulatory classification, liability, passenger safety, and international obligations, highlighting the need for appropriate governance frameworks to support safe, sustainable, and commercially viable operations in this emerging frontier.

Book Club: Conversation with the Editors on the Commentary on the Chicago Convention/Routledge
16:15 – 16:45

GALA DINNER
18:00 – 20:30
Venue: Baha Mar Ballroom

DAY 3 –29 May 2026

Open to Civil Aviation Authorities

Panel 8
Groups Breakout Session:
Legal Guardians of Flight: Enabling legal advisory excellence in civil aviation, driving capacity, governance and global alignment for air law
08:00 – 09:00

Building on previous editions in Singapore (2019), Oman (2023) and London (2024) this session will evaluate the progress made towards highlighting and enhancing indispensable role of legal counsel in aviation governance though recruitment training and regular engagement in ICAO activities and sustaining the CALAF initiative. The Breakout Groups will develop customised and collectively actionable proposals to enhance legal capacity, transparency, future proofing and international alignment for the civil aviation legal advisory role.

Coordinators:

Asia and Pacific (APAC) States: Jae Won Lee Professor, Faculty of Law, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR and Third Vice-Chairperson ICAO Legal Committee and
Eastern and Southern Africa, Western Africa (ESAF/WACAF) States: Maria Makalla Memba, Director Legal Services, Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) and Fourth Vice-Chairperson ICAO Legal Committee and
Europe and North Atlantic (EUR/NAT) States: Wayne Tyrell, Senior Legal Adviser/Assistant Company Secretary, Irish Aviation Authority (IAA)
Middle East (MID) States: [xx]
North American, Central American and Caribbean and South American (NACC/SAM) States: Jasmin Fabré Jiménez, Legal Director, Civil Aviation Board (JAC), Dominican Republic

Plan of actions – Next steps After Nassau - Group Presentations
09:00 – 10:00

Open Attendance

Panel 9
Regulatory Readiness for Emergent Aviation Technologies and Risks
10:00 – 11:00
This forward-looking panel will address the legal and regulatory challenges posed by emerging technologies as applied to civil aviation, including artificial intelligence (AI), advanced air mobility (AAM), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), remotely piloted aircraft (RPAs), and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. Panelists will explore elements such as certification frameworks, liability allocation, cybersecurity risks, and human-machine interaction. The session will examine work in various jurisdictions on legal instruments for innovation and highlight the need for agile legal systems to support safe and sustainable integration of new technologies into global airspace while noting the role of Safety Management Systems (SMS) and strong Safety Information Protection (SIP) in preserving the reliable safety data these technologies depend on.

Panellists:

William McKenna, Chief Counsel, United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Alexander Sudbury, the Head of the Safety Operations Legal Team, Civil Aviation Authority, United Kingdon (UK CAA)
Jacqueline Serrao, Jacqueline Serrao, Principal and Attorney at Law, Legal Capacity Building and Aerospace Consulting, Jacqueline E. Serrao, LLC

REFRESHMENT INTERLUDE
11:00 – 11:30

Closing
11:30 – 12:00

- Michael Gill, Director, Legal Affairs and External Relations Bureau, International Civil Aviation Organization
- [Bahamas Official]

HERITAGE-CULTURAL-AND CULINARY HIGHLIGHTS TOUR
14:00 – 17:00
Tour departs from and returns to the Baha Mar Hotel