*

UN CORSIA deal was reached in 2016 to cap rising emissions

from

international flights

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ICAO triennial assembly to run from Sept 23 to Oct 3 in

Montreal

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Airline group supports raising pilot retirement age from

65 to

67

By Allison Lampert

MONTREAL, Sept 17 (Reuters) - A global emissions deal is

key for airlines ahead of a U.N. aviation gathering next week,

despite skepticism that the industry can hit its own

environmental targets, the head of trade body IATA told

reporters on Wednesday.

The U.N. CORSIA deal was reached in 2016 to cap rising emissions

from international flights through airlines' purchase of carbon

credits and use of green jet fuel. But with insufficient credits

available and fuel from materials like used cooking oil in short

supply, IATA has cast doubt on a U.N. goal of achieving a 5%

reduction in industry emissions by 2030.

Still, reducing pollution from planes remains a goal, even

though environmental protection is not a priority for U.S.

President Donald Trump's administration.

"I think the changing geopolitical environment may have

some short-term impact on how people view these issues,"

International Air Transport Association director general Willie

Walsh said.

"But the feedback we get consistently from the majority, the

vast majority of players in the industry is that they recognize

that our industry must play its part."

During the International Civil Aviation Organization's

triennial assembly, which runs from Sept 23 to October 3,

regulators from 193 countries will discuss issues including the

environment, raising pilot retirement age from 65 to 67 and

safety concerns over Global Navigation Satellite System radio

frequency interference in parts of Europe.

Countries will decide whether Russia gets enough votes to

return as part of ICAO's 36-member council after failing to

clinch enough support in 2022 following the country's invasion

of Ukraine.

Walsh said the Trump administration is "quite right" to drop a

plan by former President Joe Biden to require airlines to pay

passengers cash compensation when U.S. flight disruptions are

caused by carriers.

He added that a recent Trump administration order for Delta

Air Lines ( DAL ) and Aeromexico to end a joint venture,

following U.S. concerns over Mexico violating bilateral air

agreements, was a "natural progression of geopolitical issues."

The Department of Transportation alleges Mexico violated a

bilateral air agreement by slashing slots for passenger flights

and forcing all-cargo carriers to relocate operations.

However, Walsh cautioned that airline joint ventures,

which let carriers coordinate scheduling, pricing and capacity

decisions, improve services for consumers.

"I think we've got to separate out the consumer impact of

these joint ventures from the political impact," he said.