Measures ramped up to ensure air travel safety

In response to recent fatal Azerbaijan Airlines and Jeju Air plane crashes, China has ramped up safety measures to ensure the continued safety of the country's civil aviation sector. These measures include enhanced bird strike prevention and comprehensive runway safety inspections, officials from the Civil Aviation Administration of China said on Friday.

Shu Mingjiang, chief safety officer at the CAAC, emphasized these efforts during a news conference in Beijing on Friday, while discussing the importance of learning from the recent tragedies.

The announcement of the enhanced measures comes after the two significant accidents raised global concerns about aviation safety. On Dec 25, a passenger plane en route from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, crashed near Aktau International Airport in western Kazakhstan. Initial reports said the crash, which resulted in the deaths of 38 people, was caused by a bird strike. Azerbaijan's president said the plane had been damaged by accidental shooting from the ground in Russia, Reuters reported.

Just days later, on Dec 29, a Jeju Air flight crashed while attempting to land at Muan International Airport, approximately 290 kilometers from Seoul, killing 179. The crash was reportedly caused by a landing gear failure, which led to the aircraft landing without properly functioning wheels, causing the jet to skid off the runway and crash into a perimeter wall.

In response to these incidents, the CAAC has outlined several actions to address safety concerns. One of the primary focuses is improving bird strike prevention, which has been identified as a significant threat to flight safety.

"We require airports to focus on more accurately studying seasonal bird migration patterns, especially during the winter months. This will allow us to implement more effective bird control measures at airports," Shu said.

He also emphasized that the CAAC is encouraging the use of advanced technology to detect and prevent bird strikes near airports.

"We are also urging airports to tighten their bird management strategies and pushing them to tailor their approaches based on regional bird activity," he added.

The CAAC is also conducting a nationwide inspection of runway safety, focusing particularly on areas such as runway safety and surface irregularities. These inspections are intended to address any vulnerabilities that may exist, ensuring that runways meet the highest safety standards for aircraft operations.

In an effort to improve emergency response capability, the CAAC is strengthening training programs and conducting more rigorous emergency drills to mitigate potential risks, Shu said.

With the upcoming Spring Festival travel rush, which is expected to see a record of over 90 million passenger trips made by air, the CAAC is implementing a special safety inspection campaign.

The authority has urged airlines to conduct thorough checks of their fleets and operational procedures to ensure safety during this peak period. The 40-day travel rush, from Jan 14 to Feb 22, is expected to see 9 billion cross-regional trips in total, according to official estimates.

Xu Qing, director of the CAAC's transport department, highlighted the importance of maintaining safety during the busy period.

"As China's aviation sector continues to grow, we are committed to meeting the demands of the Spring Festival travel rush while ensuring the safety and security of every passenger. We have implemented detailed safety arrangements to ensure smooth operations and minimize risks," Xu said, adding that in 2024, China's aviation industry reached a new high with over 730 million passenger trips.