Safety plan for Egypt carriers

The Egyptian Government has confirmed that all carriers registered in Egypt will incorporate the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) into their safety oversight programmes by the end of this year.

As part of this initiative, all new applicants for an Air Operating Certificate (AOC) in Egypt must successfully complete an IOSA Registration prior to commencing operation.

Existing airlines on the Egyptian registry will also be required to undergo an IOSA re-audit every two years.

“We take this matter very seriously,” said ETA chairman Ahmed El Khadem.

“With increasing numbers of international visitors travelling to Egypt, it is important to offer them the reassurance that the Egyptian airline industry complies with the very highest, and internationally recognised, aviation safety standards.”

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has also recognised and honoured the Egyptian Government for its leadership in promoting safety by incorporating the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) into its national aviation safety programmes.

IATA director-general and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said: 'IATA is a quality association and we have set the bar high to ensure that our membership represents best practices in safety.

“At the same time we are encouraged that governments not only understand the benefits of IOSA, but also are using it. I encourage more governments to use this great tool.

“We congratulate the Egyptian Government and welcome its commitment to IOSA, and to incorporating these standards on a national scale.'

This year Egypt anticipates that it will entice over nine million visitors.

In order to encourage and cater to these increasing numbers of international visitors, the Government has made a multi-million dollar investment in developing and enhancing tourism facilities and services in key tourist centres.

Many Egyptian airports have also undergone an extensive upgrade programme to ensure they provide a full range of facilities and services for overseas visitors.

Managed by Frankfurt Aviation Authority (FAA), Cairo’s new terminal (TB3) is due for completion in January 2007 and will enlarge the airport’s capacity to 20 million passengers a year.

Both key Red Sea Riviera resorts, Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada, are also set to increase capacity with the development of new passenger terminals as part of this extensive investment programme.

Easily accessible from most international cities, Egypt offers guaranteed sunshine, 2,000km of stunning coastline and is renowned for its world-class diving. 7,000 years of culture combined with modern hotels and tourism facilities, enables visitors to experience a unique historic backdrop as part of the ultimate modern holiday.

Last year, a record-breaking 8.6 million overseas visitors holidayed in Egypt with this figure set to increase even further in 2006.

IOSA, the first global standard for airline operational safety auditing, was launched in 2003,

The programme is designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline. TradeArabia News Service( COPIED FROM A SITE0