Every contingency needs to be prepared for to ensure UK-EU air links are maintained following Brexit.
The demand came from Iata director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac six months before the UK is due to exit the European Union.
He said: “Aviation is the business of freedom, reuniting friends and families and connecting businesses to markets.
“To preserve that freedom, air links need to be maintained. For that reason, it is absolutely critical that UK and EU aviation negotiators achieve a post-Brexit agreement.
“It is not just about permission for flights to take off and land. Everything from pilots’ licenses to security arrangements, and much more besides, needs to be agreed upon.
“Mutual recognition of existing standards can address much of this, but we cannot wait until the eleventh hour. An assumption that ‘it will be all right on the night’ reveals little understanding of the complexities involved.
“Preparations should be made for every contingency, in an environment of far greater transparency than we have seen to date,” stressed de Juniac.
He was speaking as Iata revealed that airlines achieved record load factors as passenger numbers took off during the summer peak month of August.
Global air travel demand rose by 6.4% year-on-year and was up on the 6.1% achieved in July.
The overall load factor climbed 0.7% percentage point to 85.3% – the highest for any month since at least 1990, according to latest Iata data.
“The industry experienced continued strong traffic growth in August, putting the cap on a very good peak travel season,” said
de Juniac.
“The all-time record load factor reflects that airlines are maximising the efficiency of their assets at a time of rising fuel prices and other costs that are limiting the opportunities for low fare stimulation.”