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QNA
Doha
Qatar ranks among the world's top countries in civil aviation safety, according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety audit report released on Sunday.
Qatar scored 99.1 percent in implementing the guidelines of Annex 17 on Safeguarding International Civil Aviation Against Acts of Unlawful Interference. Qatar also scored 96.76 percent in implementing safety management and a 100 percent in annex nine on facilitation.
The Civil Aviation Authority said the high scores reflect a qualitative leap for Qatar in the field of aviation security. Qatar's score was 78.76 percent in 2012.
Qatar Aviation Authority Chairman Abdullah bin Nasser Turki al Subaey said the results of ICAO's safety audit proved that Hamad International Airport (HIA) is one of the safest in the world.
He said the state's support for the civil aviation industry was the main reason behind the achievement. The cooperation of all partners concerned with civil aviation security such as the Ministry of Interior's Airport Security Department and Airport Passports Department, besides the management of Hamad International Airport has also contributed to Qatar for securing high scores.
Subaey said it will be an advantage for the national carrier Qatar Airways given that it takes-off from one of the world's safest airports. This will also encourage other carriers to operate from the airport.
Director of Airport Security Department Brigadier Essa Arar al Rumaihi said the high scores were a result of the continuous efforts of all the authorities concerned.
Rumaihi said the high ranking also represents a challenge to all workers ” whether in the Airport Security Department or the Civil Aviation Authority ” requiring them to put in more effort to maintain the high performance levels. He said the Airport Security Department has been working on implementing an ambitious plan to develop the human cadres.
The ICAO carries out safety audits that are mandatory for all member countries. The audits involve ensuring that airports are in line with the 19 annexes on security, referred to as the Chicago convention.
A team from the ICAO arrived in Qatar in February to carry out the audit.
