Communications and transit > Air transport co-operation committee : minutes of the first session : held at Geneva from July 8th to 12th, 1930

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in air transport. Under existing laws for instance, it would be impossible in most cases for air
companies to possess aircraft registered in different countries.
The Committee adopted the following resolution :
“ The Committee requests the Secretariat to submit to it, at its next session, preliminary
reports on the following subjects :
“ W fhe regulations for the registration of aircraft, the administrative formalities
to be complied with, and the conditions laid down regarding the nationality of aircraft
crews, with a view to ascertaining what alterations in existing law woujd be likely to
lead to better international co-operation in air transport ;
“ (1 2 3) rhe social insurance of staff employed by air companies on their international
lines ;
“ (3) Air insurance : Could a better and simpler system be applied on an effective
international basis ?
“(4) The simplification of Customs and statistical formalities in connection with
air traffic, particularly as regards the documents and affidavits required by the various
national authorities ;
“(5) Special police rules for super-maritime air traffic and assistance in case of
distress.
“The reports on these questions should be prepared, if necessary, with the assistance of
experts appointed by the Chairman of the Committee. As regards the report on the social
insurance of staff, however, the International Labour Office shall be invited to collaborate
or take such other steps as it may deem necessary”.
VIII. Practical Improvements in the Working Conditions of Air Lines.
A. Extensive and Systematic Employment of Combined Transport.
The Committee requests the Advisory and Technical Committee for Communications and
Transit to invite its Committee on Combined Transport to consider what improvements might be
obtained by the more extensive and systematic employment of combined transports, air transport
already co-operating with all methods of rapid transport.
The Secretariat of the Committee is requested, after making any necessary enquiry, to submit
to the next session of the Committee a report on the possibility of publishing a general time-table
of rapid transport (including every mode of transport) making it possible to deduce the times
taken under the best possible conditions.
B. The Constitution and Operation of the Main Network of Permanent Air Routes.
The Committee is of opinion that, in view of the international nature of air transport and of
the precarious results hitherto obtained, a definite programme of co-operation should be prepared
at any rate in the European area, until such time as technical conditions allow of its extension. It
decides to study the following questions :
(1) The choice of permanent air routes to form the main system ;
(2) An international programme for the equipment of these routes so as to permit of
uninterrupted day and night flying ;
(3) The manner in which this system should be operated, namely :
{a) The selection by inter-governmental agreement of qualified enterprises and the
specification of traffic conditions ;
(b) The granting to all undertakings engaged in the traffic over this system of the
widest possible facilities for choosing their equipment, from the sole standpoint of
efficiency, provided this equipment complies with the international requirements regarding
navigability.
A special Sub-Committee, appointed by the Chairman of the Committee, to include, if necessary,
persons who are not members of the Committee, was instructed to submit a report on this subject
to the next meeting of the Committee, after consulting the competent authorities in the various
countries concerned. This Sub-Committee will also consider such problems of international
financing as the execution of the above programme may involve, including, if necessary, the cons¬
titution of a common fund and the management of this fund by an appropriate banking institution.
C. Postal Air Transport.
The Committee is of opinion that the study of the question of European postal air transport
should be undertaken immediately, to be extended to other regions when economic and technical
conditions allow. The Sub-Committee mentioned in paragraph B is instructed :
(1) To prepare a map of the air lines to be established between the capitals of the
European countries and the points of importance to postal traffic in these countries. For this
purpose it will get into touch with the competent authorities in the different countries ;
(2) To study the question of the surtax ;
(3) To discuss with the postal services concerned the best methods for handing over
mail to aircraft, the distribution of mail, etc. ;