AAPA passes resolution calling for improvements in safety, ATM, regulation and taxation

Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines (AAPA) passed (19-Nov-2014) a series of resolutions at its 58th Assembly of Presidents, making "strong and renewed calls on governments to remove the burden of unfair taxation, distorted regional and national environmental schemes, obstacles to passenger facilitation and excessively burdensome visa regimes that constrain the freedom of individual travel". Resolutions include:

• Flight Safety Information exchange: AAPA urged governments to improve efforts in the sharing of accurate intelligence and information related to flight safety on a global basis and to support the development of an augmented distribution system for the enhanced sharing of conflict zone risk information. It also called on governments to take actions to identify and bring to justice those accountable for aggressive acts against civil aviation, as well as strengthen international laws and conventions governing the usage of military weapons to avoid future attacks;
• ATM and surveillance: AAPA urged governments to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to strengthen and periodically test established procedures to respond effectively to aircraft lost or in distress. It further urged aerospace manufacturers to develop improved location and data retrieval systems to expedite the recovery of flight data for accident investigations. It also urged governments to review and where appropriate accelerate implementation and deployment of new capabilities envisaged in the ICAO Global Air Navigation Plan;
• Health pandemics: AAPA called on governments and health authorities to collaborate and coordinate with the World Health Organisation and other governments in managing the potential impact of health pandemics by focusing collective efforts and resources on fighting the spread of such diseases at source and by properly informing and educating the general public. It also called on governments and health authorities to coordinate contingency planning measures, whilst avoiding measures that would have disproportionate collateral impact when compared to the actual risk level. In addition, governments were urged to seriously consider the implications when issuing travel advisories and avoid adopting measures which have the potential to cause needless disruption;
• Taxation: AAPA renewed its call for governments to carefully consider the overall economic effects of putting further financial strain on the travelling public and the aviation industry and to refrain from increasing the burden of aviation levies in any form. AAPA called on governments to adhere to ICAO policies on taxation and ensure such recommendations are followed by all relevant authorities, as well as to avoid imposing unjustified/discriminatory taxes on international.
• Environment: AAPA urged governments to continue to work in partnership with the air transport industry to develop and implement environmental measures that support sustainable economic growth. AAPA also renewed its call to build on the ICAO 38th Assembly consensus and work together to develop a global market based measure for aviation for adoption in 2016 and implementation in 2020;
• Passenger facilitation: AAPA called on governments to consult widely with the industry to maintain a proper balance between national border control objectives and the need for efficient passenger facilitation, ensure sufficient resources are allocated towards both inbound and outbound crew and passenger processing at border controls, taking into account the growth in passenger numbers. In addition, governments are encouraged to extend visa-waiver arrangements, whilst refraining from introducing or increasing visa-related fees, thereby boosting the important contribution of travel and tourism to the wider economy. [more - original PR]