On Friday February 17, experts from the UK State Safety Partnership (SSP) team, funded by the UK Department for Transport concluded their 12-day visit to share best practice on air safety performance and build relationships with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority.
The visit was funded by the UK as part of its ongoing support to the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority on safety performance.
During the two-week visit, the UK SSP team worked closely with the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and industry to lay the foundations for long-term collaboration on safety performance.
While the support of the SSP team will not directly lead to the removal of Pakistan from the UK Air Safety List, the programme is designed to support Pakistan’s authorities to implement steps to achieve this.
Andrew Dalgleish, Chargé d’ Affaires at the British High Commission Islamabad, said the following
“Direct flights between the UK and Pakistan are a helpful channel for businesses and people to people contact – the British High Commission understands how important this is for Pakistani airline companies. This visit and ongoing support signify our commitment to help the Pakistani authorities achieve this for the benefit of the citizens of both the UK and Pakistan.”
Currently, all air carriers certified by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority remain on the UK’s Air Safety List due to safety concerns. For removal from the Air Safety List states must demonstrate compliance with international safety standards. This is a comprehensive process requiring the provision of evidence, on-site assessments and technical hearings.
The State Safety Partnerships (SSP) Programme is funded by the UK Department for Transport, whose role it is to foster strong and lasting relationships with aviation organisations internationally, to lay the foundations for long-term collaboration on safety performance. The SSPs primary focus is working with individual states and their aviation industries to improve operational safety performance.
· The UK has agreed to provide support in addressing regulatory and operational safety deficiencies within the PCAA and industry, the SSP Programme.
· The SSP has no regulatory power, and the removal of Pakistan from the UK Air Safety List will not occur as a result of this visit. However, the ambition is that the long-term benefits of this UK-Pakistan safety partnership, will help the PCAA and Pakistan achieve connectivity.
· The UK CAA undertakes assessments of States for removal from the UK Air Safety List, and reports these to the Department for Transport who maintain the UK Air Safety List. In order to be removed from the UK Air Safety List, a State must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the UK CAA that Standards and Recommended Practices set out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) are being satisfactorily implemented and maintained.
