Despite growing demand for air travel in the region, the progress of Asia Pacific carriers is being stymied by overbearing and inconsistent safety oversight.
The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) called for an end to ‘the proliferation of multiple and overlapping international audits’ which often penalises individual airlines for deficiencies in air transport safety at the national regulator level.
Speaking at the 59th AAPA Assembly of Presidents in Bali, Indonesia, director general Andrew Herdman called for the implementation of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards rather than additional unilateral auditing by aviation bodies in the US and Europe, which can hamper airlines’ ability to apply for new routes in major international markets.
"With Asia Pacific carriers working hard to improve profitability, this is absolutely the right time for governments to rethink a new approach for an industry that is so crucially linked with the sustainable growth and economic development of the region," Herdman said.
"Less taxation and better regulation – this is what is needed to invigorate an industry to allow it to realise its full potential as a catalyst for the Asia Pacific region."
As a next step, AAPA wants governments in the region to establish a regional body to support national aviation authorities’ safety oversight.
The resolution forms part of a wide-ranging AAPA strategy proposal to tackle constraints to progress for Asian airlines.
Other measures put forward included consumer protection legislation, a clear strategy on taxation, a framework for fair evaluation of environmental practices, aviation infrastructure investment, passenger facilitation and improvements in airspace risk assessment.
Herdman said AAPA, which represents 16 Asia Pacific airlines, will continue to lobby governments on these issues.
