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Dubai hosts airline safety annual meeting

KARACHI: One of the most important bodies-concerned with airline safety, holds its annual meeting for the first time in the Middle East this week, to review the regulations relating to the carriage of dangerous goods on aircraft as cargo and in passenger baggage.

Emirates is one of 12 major airlines represented on the Dangerous Good Board of Iata (International Air Transport Association), and is also a member of Iata Dangerous Goods Training Task Force.

The meeting was inaugurated by Mohammad al Khaja, Emirates' Director Group Safety, Training and Standards. He said "The challenge facing the board today is, how to meet the demands of constantly increasing cargo tonnage involving new products without compromising safety. The secret is training, training , and more training."

Representatives are attending the meeting from the Gulf Civil Aviation Authority, Abu Dhabi, the Department of Civil Aviation, Dubai and members of the UAE Dangerous Goods Panel.

A number of departments within the Emirates Group are also participating as observers. They include Group Safety, Training Engineering, Flight Operations, Dnata Cargo and Emirats SkyCargo.

One topical issue, being examined by the board, is how e-commerce will enable the board to disseminate its provisions and regulations as widely as possible.ÑPR