CAAi and Saudi aviation regulator partner to develop world-leading safety frameworks

SINCE the devastating earthquake hit the Turkey/Syrian border in the last few days, Network Airline Management’s charter team has been working with haste to provide solutions for relief flights into Turkey to support the local rescue and recovery efforts.

NAM’s second B747F relief flight operated into Ankara, ESB, Turkey carrying further vital cargo, a total of 28 tonnes, including tents, blankets and scarves. This flight was operated in partnership with Network’s customer, Zeus Cargo Solutions. NAM’s charter team operated extremely quickly with this flight, from the initial enquiry to the flight landing in Ankara all in less than 24 hours!

Atlas Air and Turkish Airlines team up to provide humanitarian supplies for earthquake victims

THE General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and CAA International (CAAi), part of the UK CAA, have signed a regulator-to-regulator partnership to assess and enhance Saudi Arabia’s aviation safety regulatory frameworks in line with global best-practice.

recommendations to enhance the State Safety Programme and National Aviation Safety Plan.

ATLAS Air has announced an Atlas Air 747-8F departed from Washington Dulles International Airport carrying tonnes of humanitarian and relief supplies for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria. The two companies, along with the Turkish Embassy, are working together to expedite this relief mission to support the critical needs of thousands of people impacted by this natural disaster. Atlas Air is providing the aircraft and crew and Turkish Airlines is collecting clothes, shoes, medical supplies and other essentials.

“Through our partnership with Turkish Airlines, we are honoured to contribute air freight capacity to deliver critical supplies to this region where they are needed the most,” John Dietrich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Atlas Air Worldwide, said.

“We are moved by the heroic work of first responders and humanitarian organisations to provide relief to the communities impacted by this natural disaster. On behalf of our 5,000 Atlas employees around the world, we are grateful for this opportunity to show our support.”

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reforms are opening and diversifying Saudi Arabia’s economy and society, including the recreation, travel and tourism sectors. The Saudi aviation regulator is leading the implementation of the Saudi Aviation Strategy, a sector-wide transformation programme with a target of tripling passenger numbers to 330 million per annum by 2030.

GACA has recently launched an Aviation Standards Optimisation programme to apply world-leading aviation safety standards and enhance the passenger experience. CAAi and GACA intend to support this programme by examining global best-practice regulatory frameworks for aviation safety and making

“We look forward to partnering with the UK CAA on this important project and bringing the best of global aviation safety regulations to the Kingdom for the benefit of passengers and our aviation industry,” Captain Sulaiman Almuhaimedi, Executive Vice President of Safety & Aviation Standards at GACA, added.

“It is an honour to strengthen cooperation arrangements with GACA. The UK CAA looks forward to working with our regulatory counterparts at GACA and assisting Saudi Arabia to deliver its vision and goals for air transport,” Ben Alcott, International Director at the UK CAA, said.

“There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia has become a globally influential player in civil aviation, with new airlines, airports, and infrastructure well underway since the launch of Vision 2030 and the Saudi Aviation Strategy,” Maria Rueda, Managing Director at CAAi, commented.

AfA calls for the TSA to urgently work with shippers regarding cargo export legislations

Panellists concurred that the Certified Cargo Standard Security Screening Program (CCSSSP) is the only viable way to meet new screening requirements, but much preparatory work and communication with shippers must be carried out by the TSA in order to make CCSSSP ready for the 1st November 2023 deadline.

PANELLISTS at Airforwarders Association’s (AfA) Annual General Meeting have called for the TSA to urgently work with shippers to address the impact of mandated freighter cargo screening for exports taking force from November 2023.

The requirement that all such cargo must be screened has been in effect since June 2021, but up until now the sector has been working with a limited amount of TSA alternative security measures. However, the TSA has stated that these security measures will expire at the end of October and won’t be renewed.

Panellists expressed concern that the TSA’s proposed Secure Packing Facility (SPF) initiative is not a viable solution for shippers or air freight forwarders who tender cargo that is difficult to screen for freighter export.

“All security programmes across the various segments of the air cargo supply chain need to be aligned,” Brandon Fried, Executive Director, AfA, said. “Industry needs TSA’s strong support in messaging the shippers that the CCSSSP – which would regulate shippers tendering cargo that is challenging to screen using existing approved security methods – is the only realistic available option to continue to move their cargo.”