Very often in our industry we hear about "fifth freedom rights" and other mysterious concepts in connection with airlines and the routes they fly. The
following article was picked up off the Internet where it was reportedly copied from a Qantas newsletter. In any event, I thought it was a rather good
and very succinct description of the various "freedoms" involved in air route negotiations.
In 1944 an International Convention was held in Chicago to map out the framework for all future bi-lateral and multi-lateral (i.e., between two or
between many different countries) air agreements. Traditionally, and preserved in this convention, an airline needs the approval of the governments of
the various countries involved before it can fly in or out of a country, or even across the country without landing.
The 1944 Chicago Convention has been extended somewhat since that time, and currently there are generally considered to be eight different
freedoms. These days, it seems the "fifth freedom" rights are most in the news as airlines seek to expand their route systems and become more global
in scope.
Please note that although these provisions are called "freedoms", they are not automatically granted to an airline as a right. They are privileges, not
rights.