BAGAIA Plans COVID-19 Air Safety

The Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency (BAGAIA) has said it is mapping out strategies to ensure compliance to global best practices as airlines return to the skies despite the COVID-19.

At an online meeting recently, the BAGAIA Commissioner, Charles Irikefe Erhueh, who chaired the session, said the COVID-19 situation could constitute an opportunity to further restructure the industry and allow it to fully play its economic, and developmental role globally.

The commissioner, in one of his submissions, posited that the present pandemic had stalled any illusion of continuing business as usual, adding that preparations needed to be made to ensure safety in the skies. Erhueh said the aviation sector, which is vital for socio-economic advancement, international commerce, tourism, and regional alliance has been worst hit by the current COVID-19 crisis.

“Unprecedented health threats and related travel limitations do not allow continuing the business with the BAGAIA Member States in the usual form. This will probably take considerable number of years for the transport by air to regain the level it had before this pandemic.

“Furthermore, due to our size in Africa, aviation will remain vital industry that will connect us all across the world. So in everything we do as aviators’ personal hygiene as well as safety must be our concerns while we carry-out our daily activities,” he added.

Erhueh said this would only be possible with an efficient aviation industry and an improved level of safety. The COVID-19 situation can constitute an opportunity to further restructure the industry and allow it to fully play its economic, and developmental role globally, he said.

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