The International Air Transport Association (IATA) will bring aviation safety and operations professionals together in Istanbul, Türkiye, from 6 to 8 October for the 2026 World Safety and Operations Conference (WSOC).
The conference will be held under the theme “Performance Through People: Driving Safety, Operational Agility, and Crisis Response”, with discussions focused on the role of people, training and organisational processes alongside technology in aviation safety.
The aviation industry is increasingly using artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and automation to support areas including maintenance, flight operations, safety management and emergency response. The conference will examine how aviation professionals can use these technologies while retaining the expertise required to interpret information and make operational decisions.
The programme will bring together airlines, regulators, aircraft manufacturers, airports, air navigation service providers and safety specialists to discuss workforce development, operational resilience and safety management.
For maintenance and engineering teams, the increasing use of digital tools and AI is also changing how technical information is assessed and used. Safety professionals and maintenance personnel need the training to understand technology-generated insights, identify limitations and intervene when required.
The conference will also address human factors, safety culture and organisational resilience, including how organisations can encourage employees to report concerns and use operational experience to improve safety processes.
Workforce development will be another focus, with discussions covering the recruitment, training and retention of aviation personnel. Technical skills will be considered alongside leadership, communication, critical thinking and collaborative problem-solving.
Other topics on the WSOC 2026 programme will include mental health and wellbeing, peer support, emergency response planning, crisis management, geopolitical risks and their impact on aviation operations.
The event will feature dedicated tracks covering Safety, Cabin Operations, Operations and Crisis Management, bringing together different parts of the aviation workforce to examine how people and technology interact during routine operations and disruptions.
The conference will also consider how aviation organisations can prepare the next generation of safety and operations professionals as technology, operational risks and workforce requirements continue to evolve.
