ICAO Freedom of the Air Rights

Freedoms of the Air are a series of air transportation rights that are negotiated among sovereign states and act as a set of rules that guide air transportation. These “Freedoms” are the foundation of commercial air-transportation. The United Nations through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) administers the governance of these air rights as it sets the rules and policies on civil/commercial aviation through the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). These SARPS are the framework through which ICAO’s 193 member nations negotiate bilateral and multilateral air transportation agreements such as Open Skies agreements.