The International Air Transport Association (IATA) will hold the 2026 edition of the World Legal Symposium (WLS) from 17-19 February in Warsaw, Poland, hosted by LOT Polish Airlines, under the theme ‘’Liability in a Changing World’’.
Airlines face a variety of enduring and new categories of liability, including their classic insured risks, and a host of contemporary compliance areas, such as ESG, greenwashing, taxation, privacy, and artificial intelligence.
WLS will discuss these issues against the background of changing landscapes for consumer protection, trade tariffs, and geopolitics.
‘’Internationally agreed airline liability principles are facing growing pressure from divergent national measures, which risk undermining the uniform application of the international liability treaties and their benefits to connectivity.
“The challenges this creates for airlines, who must navigate through these inconsistencies to support global operations, will be at the heart of discussions at this year’s WLS,” said Leslie MacIntosh, IATA’s Corporate Secretary and Acting General Counsel.
“New regulations, emerging technologies, and evolving societal expectations create strategic challenges in airline operations today.
“As Poland’s national carrier, we are pleased to welcome an event bringing together leading aviation law experts, regulators, and industry representatives to jointly identify and address the complexities ahead,” said Michał Fijoł, President & CEO of LOT Polish Airlines.
The symposium is expected to attract over 400 participants, including in-house counsel, external legal advisors, regulators, and senior industry executives.
Sessions will address the tension between harmonized international treaties—such as those governing passenger and cargo liability—and the proliferation of country-specific rules that complicate cross-border operations.
Poland’s selection as host underscores Warsaw’s growing prominence as a key aviation hub in Central and Eastern Europe. LOT Polish Airlines will open the program with a welcome address and keynote from its CEO, setting the stage for in-depth panels on emerging risks and potential solutions.
Registration remains open through the official IATA website, where the detailed program is available for review.
With the aviation sector navigating post-pandemic recovery, sustainability imperatives, and technological transformation, the Warsaw symposium arrives at a pivotal moment.
Outcomes from the discussions are anticipated to inform legal strategies and policy positions across the global airline
