Airlines not worried about cost of real-time aircraft tracking: UN official

[KUALA LUMPUR] Major airlines are united on the need for real-time tracking of commercial aircraft following the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and have not raised cost as a concern, a senior official with the United Nations' aviation agency said yesterday.

Member countries of the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) governing council agreed earlier this month on the need for global tracking, although they did not commit to a binding solution or timeline.

Instead, the global airline industry group, International Air Transport Association (Iata), agreed to come up with proposals for better tracking by the end of September. Iata said its members would implement measures voluntarily, before any rules were in place.