Making It Better

IATA has called on China to continue strengthening safety and to optimize its airspace capacity further to reduce flight delays.

Speaking at the Beijing International Forum on Civil Aviation Safety, IATA’s director general and CEO, Tony Tyler said, “It is clear that China is fully dedicated to supporting its overall development with a strong air transport industry. The efforts of the CAAC to implement the State Safety Plan, upgrade systems, open new routes, develop new airports, reduce delays and much more are greatly appreciated by airlines. By 2034, China will be the world’s largest passenger market, with one in five passengers travelling to, from or within China. Adopting global best practices to improve safety and optimize airspace capacity will support the successful development of Chinese aviation.”

Tyler continued, “China has an exemplary safety record. There have been no jet hull losses in Mainland China since August 2010. The combined efforts of the Chinese aviation industry, including government, airlines, airports, air traffic control, and many others have built a first class safety record for China.”

Tyler also highlighted two opportunities to enhance China’s safety regime with audits for airlines not qualified for IOSA and greater attention to the shipping of lithium batteries.

In Greater China, there are 25 airlines on the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry. IATA just launched the IATA Standard Safety Assessment (ISSA) which caters to operators that are not eligible for an IOSA audit, either because they operate aircraft below the maximum take-off weight of 5,700 kg, or operate a business model that does not conform to IOSA standards, such as private charters.

“I encourage the Chinese industry to take advantage of this opportunity to introduce global standards to those airlines not covered by ISOA,” said Tyler.

He also expressed concern on the safe carriage of lithium batteries. “China is a major production center for lithium batteries. Ensuring the safe carriage of this cargo is a major concern for the Chinese air transport industry. Because of the complex supply chains involved, it is crucial that all stakeholders are aligned,” said Tyler.

To support the growth of awareness and knowledge-sharing on this issue in China, IATA has released the new Lithium Battery Shipping Guidelines in Chinese. This document is designed to guide shippers and manufacturers step by step through the shipping process.

Go to http://www.iata.org for more.