SA Airlink highlights the importance of training

As the world requires higher volumes of cargo to move faster and more frequently than ever before, airlines will have to get better at managing risk. But, says Johan van Niekerk, cargo operations manager at SA Airlink, while safety and

compliance remain the golden rules of aviation, in a fastpaced, modern world like ours, this is not always an easy task. Speaking at a workshop in Cape Town recently, Van Niekerk said that at Airlink, dangerous cargo was handled according to seven principles

following strict guidelines and a zero tolerance for noncompliance. The airline had also embarked on an internal campaign called 17° Sharper, he said. “Training is central to our operations and it is a constant focus. With this

campaign, the goal is to ensure that we are always focused as an airline on being sharper and delivering a safer service to customers.” He said that in an industry with no room for error, skill, knowledge and expertise had to be developed continuously.

“Not all airlines adhere to International Air Transport Association (Iata) regulations,” said Van Niekerk. He called for more consistency across the industry to meet strict national and international regulations.