For the first time, Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, has brought together airport professionals from across the globe to discuss the issue of ramp safety.
With its theme Safe Turn Around, the international airside safety workshop was conducted by the Emirates Group Safety department at the Emirates Aviation College, in conjunction with the 30th meeting of the IATA Airside Safety Group.
The one-day workshop was attended by some 195 delegates representing 50 organisations from 25 countries in Europe, North America, Africa, Asia and Australasia. They represented airlines, airport authorities, ground-handling companies and fuelling and catering companies.
Throughout the day, delegates were addressed by a number of high-profile speakers, including Qantas safety programmes manager Chris Barber, Gulf Air ground operations’ quality assurance manager Sarachandaran Pillai, IATA airport and inflight services manager Chris Miles and Menzies Aviation network risk management head Bob Newman.
Topics covered included safety management systems, risk management, threat and error management, the Airbus A380-800 project, aircraft damage, human factors and a behavioural approach to culture change and a ground damage prevention programme and safety management system.
A number of Emirates’ management also addressed the conference: senior vice-president safety Mick Quinn, manager ground safety Craig McBride, and manager airport services passenger & aircraft handling Clive Clemson.
The sponsors of the workshop were Airbus, Air BP, Dnata Airport Operations, Emirates Flight Catering and Emirates Airport Services.
Support sponsors were Dubai Civil Aviation, the General Civil Aviation Authority, the Inter-national Aviation Handlers’ Association and the Australasian Aviation Ground Safety Council.
Emirates Airline currently operates three direct flights each week from Dubai to Malta: on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays on A330-200. This flight gives a convenient connection to outgoing and incoming passengers from Australia and the Far East.