The Hindu Business Line : IATA plans ground handling safety audit

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) plans to start an International Safety Audit for Ground Handling Activities to help the global airline industry cut down on $4-billion annual damage incurred due to ground handling activities.

"We are looking at having a global programme built on the standards laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the best industry practices," said Mr Mike O. Brien, Director for Programme Implementation and Auditing, IATA.

"It will be an independent audit built around the need for safety and risk management in ground handling activities. A task force is already actively working on it and we hope to launch the audit in early 2008. The launch of the programme will help bring about safer operations as also reduce the number of redundant audits that have to be undertaken currently."

The proposed audit would be similar to the existing International Operation Safety Audit (IOSA), which will soon become a pre-condition for airlines to join the IATA.

The thrust for the launch of an audit programme for ground handling activities is being driven by the airlines and the insurance companies, which are said to be very keen to get the audit started at the earliest, IATA officials said.

The launch of the programme could also prove beneficial to India, as the Government is set to come out with a policy on which agencies should be allowed to participate in ground handling activities.

Currently, ground handling activities at airports is restricted to a few players such as the Airports Authority of India, Air India and Indian.