The country’s largest airport operator and sole Air Navigation Service Provider, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is observing Aviation Safety Awareness Week 2023. The week-long celebration, that started Tuesday, is being observed at all airports and ANS locations managed by AAI across India.
In an event organised at Corporate Headquarters, Rajeev Mehta, Executive Director (AVS), briefed about various initiatives and actions taken by Aviation Safety Directorate to enhance safety in AAI’s operations, such as conduct of safety Audits of 57 Airports and ANS Centres, Surprise check of Wildlife Hazard Management at 14 Airports, seven training programs across India training about 175 officials, introduction of On-line Voluntary Reporting module and launch of Quarterly Safety Magazine “SAHAAS”.
On this occasion, Sanjeev Kumar, Chairman, AAI stressed the importance of safety in all domains of AAI.
He emphasized that in safety “we should not be happy with the minimum and should strive to be safer than yesterday”. He said that safety should be a habit and its goal should be to become a learning and adaptable organisation.
The chairman also appreciated the efforts of the Safety Directorate in taking up various measures to enhance safety at AAI Airports and insisted that safety improvement and monitoring measures such as monthly video conferences with REDs and Airport Directors should continue so that common safety concerns and their solutions are shared among all and that our attention on safety is not lost.
Guest Speaker, Vineet Kumar, Vice President, Head- Safety and Compliance, DIAL made a Presentation on the Safety Management System, broadly describing the ICAO’s safety management system and highlighting some of the best safety practices being followed at DIAL such as the conduct of Safety campaigns, rewarding of employees and stakeholders who voluntarily report safety issues, issuance of safety alerts.
To raise awareness of aviation safety, AAI will undertake various employee engagement programs at the airports and ANS stations like reviewing of documents and procedures, mock exercises, and preventive maintenance of facilities. Various social campaigns will be rolled out to raise awareness of the issue.
Banners and posters will be displayed across AAI offices and operational centres to educate both external and internal stakeholders on the significance of Safety Awareness Week.