Aviation diplomacy: a conceptual framework for analyzing the relationship between aviation and international relations

Abstract

The article aimed to conceptualize the term aviation diplomacy and to map the most typical forms of use of civil aviation for diplomatic reasons. The research included a review of approaches to aviation diplomacy and similar terms available in the scientific literature. The considerations presented in the article allowed for a proposition of tripartite framework for aviation diplomacy, with specific aspects referring either to the location of the diplomatic engagement or the actors engaged. The framework includes aviation as a foreign policy tool, aviation as a means of promoting the state’s international image, and aviation subjects as diplomatic actors.