AAPA Emergency Response Conference Held in KL 28-29 September 2011

The 4th AAPA Emergency Response Conference was held on 28-29 September 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The event attracted an audience of over 160 international delegates drawn from airlines, airports, government agencies and humanitarian organisations, with specialists in contingency planning, operational emergency response, corporate communications, and pastoral support amongst the participants.

The opening ceremony of the event was officiated by Yang Berhormat Tuan Jelaing Anak Mersat - Deputy Minister for Transport I, Ministry of Transport, Malaysia, representing the Malaysian Government who welcomed all delegates to Kuala Lumpur, and urged all stakeholders to work together, noting that “emergency response is of the utmost importance to the aviation industry, where the highest priority is on the safety of passengers and crew, and well-being of their families.”

In his keynote speech, Mr. Andrew Herdman, AAPA Director General, said, “Emergency response today is no longer simply about preparedness for aircraft accidents, it also extends to contingency planning for other crises or events that may significantly affect airline operations. In this region, we have already learned some important lessons from past crises, such as the SARS outbreak in 2003, the H1N1 outbreak in 2010, volcanic ash clouds and a number of other natural disasters ... Flying is widely recognised as the safest form of travel, with a major hull loss rate of one in every two million flights, and our industry is committed to delivering further incremental improvements in safety performance.”

The theme of this year’s conference, “Crisis Management: The Importance of Teamwork”, focused on the importance of good coordination and teamwork amongst different stakeholders in responding to crises, drawing lessons from experiences with aircraft accidents, natural disasters and other catastrophic events affecting both aviation and other sectors.

Hosted by Malaysia Airlines, the conference offered an opportunity for participants to share knowledge, skills and experiences while networking with emergency preparedness specialists, and highlighted the importance of continual improvement in emergency response planning to ensure preparedness and effective coordination in times of crisis.

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