The annual meeting of the International Air Transport Associtation has kicked off in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur against the backdrop of the ongoing search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet.
The conference has opened with a minute's silence to honour of those onboard the lost flight.
IATA CEO Tony Tyler has used his speech to the opening of the session to highlight the need for improving the tracking of aircraft in flight.
"In a world where our every move seems to be tracked, there is disbelief that an aircraft could simply disappear and that the black box is so difficult to recover. An Air France 447 brought similar issues to light a few years ago, and some progress was made, but that must now be accelerated. We cannot let another aircraft simply disappear."
Tyler also says the missing Malaysia Airlines flight is reminder the industry can never be "complacent on safety."
The IATA is the main trade association for the world's airlines.
