Comment
Avoid knee jerk reactions
May 1st 2015
Operational safety is a given for airlines. The declared goal of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is zero accidents. It is a commendable target, but probably unattainable. Read More »
Air crashes and loss of life will still happen if only for their increasing unpredictability.
All the safety data, aircraft technology and operational precautions in the world could not have prepared airlines for the unexplained disappearance of Malaysia Airlines’ MH370, the shooting down of its sister aircraft, MH17, or the crash of Germanwings flight 9525 into a French mountain, allegedly at the hands of a 27-yqear-old suicidal co-pilot.
Each accident highlighted a gap in airline safety management that had never been so clearly identified.
The industry’s response to the tragedies has been swift. To avoid another MH370 disaster, airlines are installing better tracking systems that more frequently monitor aircraft as they journey across the globe. Total global coverage is planned to be with us from November 2016. Several Asia-Pacific airlines are trialling upgraded tracking technology that will be in place from this year.
Last month, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) established a website to ensure carriers have the best intelligence about where it is safe to fly, especially over large swathes of the Middle East and the Ukraine where MH17 was shot down. Use of the advice is discretionary.
Unfortunately politics has already marred the worthy effort. After the UK warned airlines about the risks of flying over Iraq, Baghdad protested. Iraq is not the only country expected to object to the ICAO website listings, especially when overflight fees are involved.
A third issue, provoked by the alleged suicidal co-pilot who crashed Germanwings 9525 into the French Alps, concerns the annual fitness tests pilots undergo to keep flying. Many in the industry support a global industry review of pilot recruitment, ongoing training and health checks.
Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) director general, Andrew Herdman, said pilot recruitment is intensively regulated. Once pilots are flying commercially, they are subject to continuous monitoring and regular medicals.
The problem is that the medical check-ups focus on pilots’ physical health. Pilots themselves are expected to self-report any mental issues, which is something they are unlikely to do if it brings their careers to an end.
For those who argue there should be specific, regular psychological reviews of cockpit crew, then airline management thinking might also need to change. They must support a system where pilots are not penalized for being honest about their mental health.
These issues aside, IATA and the AAPA, along with other global airline bodies, warn against knee-jerk reactions to these safety threats, often forced on the industry by the power of social media.
The potential for unintended consequences when reacting to this public pressure must be fully considered.
Herdman illustrated the problem with the industry’s response to hijacking. Cockpit doors were required to be reinforced to keep hijackers out. No one considered the possibility the threat could come from inside the cockpit. Therefore, it is hard to argue against the view that any measures taken must be the result of a thorough, well-researched, collaborative process, based on global standards and best practices.
