Business

Wednesday, June 07, 2023 | Daily Newspaper published by GPPC Doha, Qatar.

Business

QAS, the ground handling services subsidiary of Qatar Airways Group, becomes the first in the world to be certified under IATA’s IEnvA programme for ground and cargo handling.

QAS receives leading environmental management system certificate

Qatar Aviation Services (QAS), the ground handling services subsidiary of Qatar Airways Group, is now the first ground handler in the world to receive the International Air Transport Association (IATA) environmental management system certification – the IATA Environmental Assessment programme (IEnvA) – which has been developed specifically for ground and cargo service providers.Qatar Airways Group’s QAS was presented with the IEnvA certificate on June 5 during the 79th IATA AGM in Istanbul, Turkiye.The IEnvA for Ground and Cargo Handling Service Organisations certificate, which is an expansion of the successful IEnvA for Airlines programme, was launched in June 2022 during the 78th IATA Annual General Meeting held in Doha. QAS signed up the as part of pilot phase, becoming the first organisation globally to join the extended IEnvA programme.The bespoke standards developed by IATA, in collaboration with Qatar Airways Group and international sustainability experts, set a framework for achieving environmental sustainability across all ground operations. The scope for certification included QAS offices and workshop buildings, ground handling operations and equipment, cargo handling operations and equipment, and maintenance activities.Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive HE Akbar al-Baker said, “We are focused on keeping sustainability at the core of our operations. Qatar Airways was the first airline in the Middle East to be accredited to the highest level of IEnvA in 2017. As we continue to build our global network, we remain committed to dedicating the leadership and resources needed to meet our vision for environmental sustainability. Today we extend the IEnvA accreditation to QAS, becoming the first ground handler in the world certified under the new IEnvA programme for Ground and Cargo Handling Service Organisations.”IATA Director General Willie Walsh said, “Qatar Aviation Services has achieved a significant milestone with their IEnvA certification. They are one of the pioneers in the IEnvA programme; their dedication to managing and reducing the environmental impact of their operations is clear. Their certification sets a great example of world-class environmental management practices for other ground handler and ground services providers to follow.”In a press statement, QAS said it is committed to minimising the environmental impact of its operations, playing an instrumental role in helping Hamad International Airport gain its world-class standing as an environmental leader among airports globally. Through its participation, it aims to meet and exceed the highest environmental standards while preparing for future expansion strategies.IATA’s IEnvA programme is a voluntary evaluation system designed to independently assess and improve the environmental management. The programme, which demonstrates equivalency to the ISO 14001: 2015 environmental management systems standard, was initially offered to Qatar Airways and later extended to cargo and ground handlers. It provides a structured approach to managing the environment, as well as reporting and mitigating environmental impacts. As a result, organisations are able to formally incorporate sustainability and environmental compliance strategies into their operations.

Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), speaks during IATA annual meeting in Istanbul. REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya

Provide timely, thorough and public accident reports: IATA

Istanbul: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged governments around the world to live up to longstanding international treaty obligations to publish timely and thorough aviation accident reports. “Safety is aviation’s highest priority,” IATA Director General Willie Walsh said at a media briefing here Tuesday.Failure to publish prompt and complete accident investigation reports deprives operators, equipment manufacturers, regulators, infrastructure providers and other stakeholders concerned of critical information that could make flying even safer.“The accident investigation process is one of our most important learning tools when building global safety standards. But to learn from an accident, we need reports that are complete, accessible and timely,” Walsh noted.He said the requirements of the Convention of International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) Annex 13 are “clear”.Walsh said states in charge of an accident investigation must submit a preliminary report to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) within 30 days of the accident, publish the final report, which is publicly available, as soon as possible and within 12 months of the accident.They must also publish interim statements annually should a final report not be possible within 12 months.Only 96 of the 214 accident investigations during the period 2018-2022 conform with the requirements of the Chicago Convention, Walsh noted.Just 31 reports were published in less than one year of the accident with the majority (58) taking between one to three years. In addition to the fact that final reports regularly take more than a year, interim statements often provide little more than what was presented in the preliminary report.“Over the past five years, fewer than half of the required accident reports meet the standards for thoroughness and timeliness. This is an inexcusable violation of requirements stated clearly in the Chicago Convention.“As an industry we must raise our voice to governments in defence of the accident investigation process enshrined in Annex 13. And we count on ICAO to remind states that the publication of a complete accident report is not optional, it is an obligation under Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention,” Walsh added.

SIGN UP FOR THE GULF TIMES NEWSLETTER
Our biggest stories, delivered to your inbox every day.
See all newsletters.

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from GULF TIMES. You can unsubscribe at any time.