The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), and Airports Council International (ACI) have launched a global initiative aimed at reducing runway incursions and improving aviation safety.
A runway incursion occurs when an aircraft, vehicle or person is incorrectly present on a runway or within its protected area.
Such incidents are tracked in IATA’s Annual Safety Reports, with several recent cases resulting in fatalities.
The new Joint Runway Safety Initiative brings together airlines, airports, air navigation service providers, regulators and frontline personnel to identify risks and strengthen prevention measures.
The initiative focuses on three key areas: improving safety reporting and data collection, including near misses and precursor events; strengthening Local Runway Safety Teams as platforms for coordinated risk assessment and action; and sharing progress and best practices across organisations and airports with similar operating environments.
“Flying is the safest form of long-distance travel. Maintaining that record requires a relentless focus on continuous improvement, supported by global standards, safety data, and collaboration. This initiative brings airlines, airports, and air navigation service providers together to identify runway risks earlier and take coordinated action,” said Nick Careen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Operations, Safety, and Security.
The programme builds on existing global safety efforts, including the Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions (GAPPRI), developed through collaboration between ICAO, Eurocontrol and the Flight Safety Foundation, as well as the ICAO Global Runway Safety Action Plan.
The initiative will use existing tools and programmes from IATA, CANSO and ACI, including runway safety checklists, risk assessment resources and support for Local Runway Safety Teams. These include ACI’s Runway Safety Team Implementation Package under its APEX in Safety programme, the ACI-CANSO Runway Safety Checklist, IATA’s Runway Incursion Safety Risk Assessment, GAPPRI’s gap-analysis tool for airlines and safety assessments conducted through the IOSA programme.
“Runway safety depends on clear communication and coordinated decisions across the airport environment. Strong Local Runway Safety Teams bring controllers, airports, airlines, and other operational partners together to identify risks and agree practical,” said Andrea Sack, Senior Vice President, Global Operations, CANSO.
Darryl Dowd, Vice President of Safety, Security, and Operations, ACI World, added: “Airports sit at the center of this challenge, where every part of the aviation system converges. Local knowledge and sustained collaboration are what turn safety guidance into real reductions in risk, and ACI is committed to supporting our members as they put these tools to work." -TradeArabia News Service
