Airport and airline collaboration is crucial for successful aviation crisis management, Mr. Nasser Juma, VP of Safety and Security at Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) told senior figures from airports, airlines, transport authorities, industry associations, suppliers, academia and Government bodies working within the global aviation sector in a speech delivered yesterday at the Aviation Crisis Management Conference 2009.

He said: "If sufficient finance and resources are not committed to the planning, training and exercising process, an organisation will risk a less than optimum response, loss of confidence from the public, loss of life, reputational risk. He added that "safety is a key priority for ADAC and we are proud to sponsor this event, which allows the industry to examine best practice examples across the whole range of threats and challenges, and which encourages discussion on the latest regulations, technology and techniques available to reduce and eliminate the effect of all crises upon airports."

He believed that "Regardless of whether an incident has occurred en-route or on-site, an airport will generally be involved, and must have in place a robust crisis management plan to ensure the safety of the general public and staff, while maintaining business continuity".

"Airports and airlines must work together to jointly implement the appropriate measures to cover any crisis. This includes managing delays, damage to property and customer safety and well-being," he pointed out. The joint development of an Airport Emergency Plan allows agreement on roles, responsibilities and actions between the service providers, airport operators and airlines. It helps to strengthen the emergency arrangements and networks, improves communication systems and delivers a better understanding of what resources and equipment are available to both parties during an emergency.

He highlighted that "The negative impact of an accident may be felt for many years if not handled correctly. Therefore, a well formulated emergency response plan, supported by strong leadership, is key". The Aviation Crisis Management Conference 2009, which is hosted by ADAC, will conclude its activities tomorrow at the Hilton Hotel.

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