Airport Operators Association launches UK Airports Safety Week 2018
Over the coming week, the AOA UK Airports Safety Week 2018 will engage, inspire and educate everyone who travels or works in aviation about airports’ safety culture and philosophy. UK airports have an excellent safety culture, which depends on the successful collaboration of many different partners. Whether landside or airside, the commitment of every player is essential to the delivery of the safest possible environment for all.
The AOA UK Airports Safety Week will show that airport safety is an integral part of the communities that airports serve, both by providing a safe and enjoyable travel experience to passengers as well as by providing important employment opportunities, including through apprenticeships.
Airports across the UK are running multiple events every day. Examples of these activities are:
• Identifying the hazards on an aircraft stand in virtual reality at London Luton Airport
• (Airside) driving improvement workshops and checks at Belfast City, Glasgow, Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester and Newcastle Airports
• Fire service open days and demonstrations at East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London Gatwick, Manchester and Southampton Airports
• Awareness raising about what everyone can do to tackle modern slavery and trafficking at Belfast City Airport
• Aircraft refuelling safety at Belfast City and London Gatwick Airports
• Pushback tug demonstrations at Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports
• Promoting first aid and CPR to passengers and/or staff at Belfast City, London Gatwick and Southampton Airports
• Visits from local schools at Belfast City, Belfast International and Doncaster Sheffield Airports
• Aircraft turnaround demonstrations at East Midlands, Edinburgh, Manchester and Newcastle Airports
• Runway and airfield walks to look for Foreign Object Debris (FOD – any object that should not be there) at Belfast City, Belfast International, Glasgow, London Gatwick and Southampton Airports
• Improving mental and physical wellbeing at East Midlands, Heathrow, London Luton, Manchester and Newcastle Airports
• Supporting passengers with hidden disabilities, such as autism, including through airport familiarisation tours to help them have a positive future travel experience at Belfast City and East Midlands Airports
• Drop-in sessions on how to prevent disruptive passenger behaviour and ensure responsible alcohol consumption at Glasgow Airport
• Workshops on supporting passengers with reduced mobility at Manchester Airport
Chief Executive of the AOA, Karen Dee said: “UK aviation safety is among the best in the world, thanks to the hard work of everyone working in and around our airports. AOA UK Airports Safety Week will bring all this behind-the-scenes work out into open, demonstrating to the public and airport users how we have created the safety culture that has led to our excellent track-record.
“Safety affects everyone at airports, whether you’re a passenger or a staff member of an airline, airport or ground handler, just like it would do in a town or city. If we get it right, much of airports’ hard work will go unnoticed by passengers and staff alike.
“AOA UK Airports Safety Week will be an opportunity to learn more about everyone’s role and contribution as well as a chance to say thanks to the many thousands of workers who make UK aviation and airports one of the safest in the world.”
AOA Operations and Safety Director, Roger Koukkoullis said: “The theme of the AOA UK Airports Safety Week is “Leading the way in airport safety”. UK airports are able to lead the way through working collaboratively across the whole airport and thus creating a culture that puts safety first.
“AOA UK Airports Safety Week promotes continued learning to improve on our already great track record. Activities organised by airports will bring out that continuous safe delivery of the myriad of activities at an airport is influenced by many individuals and teams at airports, in control towers, on board aircraft and in the offices.”
“With record passenger numbers passing through UK airports, the AOA UK Airports Safety Week is an opportunity to demonstrate how the sector is not only working for the safety of passengers and staff today but also preparing for the future.”
