The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has recommended a new standard for tracking aircraft to help boost aviation safety.
Under the proposals airlines will be required to transmit their location every 15 minutes.
The development was announced this week as more than 850 participants gathered at a high-level safety conference at ICAO's Montreal headquarters.
The recommended standard will be performance-based and not prescriptive, said ICAO. This means global airlines would be able to meet it using the “available and planned technologies and procedures they deem suitable.
“This new Standard will be an important first step in providing a foundation for global flight tracking and the future implementation of the more comprehensive ICAO Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System,” said ICAO council president Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu.
The ICAO said the proposal will be sent to its member states for formal comment and is anticipating its adoption by early Autumn.
The ICAO’s airline tracking plans follow the disappearance earlier this year of Malaysian flight MH370. IATA, which has welcomed the new proposals, announced plans to establish an industry task force to develop recommendations to improve global flight tracking.
In a statement IATA CEO Tony Tyler, said: “We welcome this initiative to implement a performance-based standard that will permit airlines to use new and existing technologies for aircraft tracking.
“Through a combined effort of all stakeholders we can reach performance-based provisions that are founded on proper research and operational experience. We look forward to working with ICAO in the pursuit of effective and sustainable solutions that do not create unnecessary redundancy nor have unintended impacts on safety.”