The Role of Airports in the European Aviation Safety Framework (EASA) - 2022 EASA ASC

Summary

Patrick Key, Executive Director of EASA, reflects on his tenure and the evolution of safety regulations in the aviation industry during a conference in Prague. He discusses the successful integration of institutional policy with technical aspects, the challenges faced with implementing new airport rules, and the importance of communication between regulators and airport operators. Key also highlights the role of EASA during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the need for a harmonized approach to safety and sustainability in the growing air transport sector.

Takeaways

• 🎤 Patrick Key, the executive director of AYASA, is addressing the audience at a conference in Prague.
• 📅 This is Patrick's last year as director, reflecting on his nearly 10-year tenure with the organization.
• 🔒 He initiated annual safety conferences under the EU presidency, combining institutional policy with technical issues.
• 🌐 Despite COVID-19, these conferences have been successful, emphasizing the importance of the connection between policy and technical aspects.
• 🛫 Patrick recalls the initial resistance and criticism from the airport industry towards new regulations, particularly from a major Western country.
• 🗣️ Communication was key in addressing misunderstandings between regulatory bodies and airport operators.
• 🛃 The 2014 regulation adoption and 2018 enforcement highlighted the complexities of airport operations and the need for a harmonized approach across Europe.
• 📉 The longest transition period in their field was experienced, reflecting the challenges in implementing new rules in the airport sector.
• 🤝 AYASA's collaboration with the airport community during the pandemic demonstrated the value of partnerships in health protection protocols and operational restarts.
• 🚫 The industry faced new safety challenges post-pandemic, such as bird nesting at airports and restarting operations with grounded aircraft.
• 🛠️ Ongoing work on ground handling is emphasized, with the need for a clear allocation of responsibilities at the European level.
• 🌟 The conference will explore future challenges, including new technologies, digitalization, ground handling, vertiports, and environmental sustainability.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the provided transcript?

The speaker is Patrick Key, the Executive Director of AYASA.

What is the significance of organizing a safety conference under the auspices of the EU presidency according to Patrick Key?

Patrick Key believes it's a good way to integrate the institutional setup with more technical issues, fostering a connection between policy aspects and technical aspects.

How did Patrick Key describe the response to the new airport implementing rule in 2014?

Patrick Key described the response as initially very critical, with strong opposition from the association of airports and concerns about the impact on airport operations and finances.

What was the main issue with the new airport regulations according to the feedback received by Patrick Key?

The main issue was a problem of interpretation and communication, with a lack of understanding between the regulatory world and the operational world of airport operators.

How did AYASA address the challenges faced with the new airport regulations?

AYASA worked a lot on communication, trying to interpret the regulations in a flexible way and work together with national authorities and airport operators.

What role did AYASA play during the COVID-19 pandemic according to Patrick Key?

AYASA played a significant role in developing health protection protocols for airports, providing guidance on restarting operations, and addressing new safety-related issues that arose.

What is the longest transition period that AYASA has ever had in their field, as mentioned by Patrick Key?

The longest transition period mentioned by Patrick Key was for the certification of relevant airports by the civil aviation authorities, which took place by 2018.

Why is ground handling considered a challenging topic in the aviation industry?

Ground handling is challenging due to the different types of stakeholders, interests, and the need for a European level playing field that clearly allocates responsibilities and tasks.

What are the main topics that will be discussed in the conference as per the script?

The main topics include lessons from the previous summer, new technologies for safety and digitalization in airports, ground handling, future vertiports, and environmental sustainability.

What is Patrick Key's view on the future of air transport?

Patrick Key believes that air transport will continue to grow and reach even higher levels than before the pandemic.

How does Patrick Key conclude his speech?

Patrick Key concludes by wishing everyone a successful conference and emphasizing the importance of working together for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Outlines

00:00

🎉 Welcoming Remarks and Reflections on Ayasa's Journey

Patrick Key, the Executive Director of Ayasa, begins his speech by expressing his pleasure in welcoming the audience to Prague. He reflects on his almost decade-long career with Ayasa and shares his initiative to organize an annual safety conference under the EU presidency. Patrick highlights the successful integration of institutional policy with technical issues in these conferences. He also recounts the challenges faced with the implementation of the Airport Implementing Rule in 2014, which was initially met with strong criticism from the airport industry. However, through improved communication and understanding, Ayasa was able to address these concerns.

05:03

🛫 The Complexities of Airport Operations and the Transition Period

Patrick delves into the complexities of airport operations, emphasizing the multiple stakeholders involved, including airport operators, air navigation service providers, ground handling service providers, and airline operators. He acknowledges the local and national pressures that airports face and the importance of harmonizing operations across Europe. Patrick discusses the lengthy transition period for the certification of airports under new regulations, which he was told was the longest in their field. He also mentions the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and how Ayasa worked closely with the airport community to develop health protection protocols and guidance for resuming operations, showcasing the added value Ayasa brought during this period.

10:05

🌟 Looking Ahead: Conference Themes and the Future of Airport Operations

The final paragraph of Patrick's speech outlines the program for the conference, focusing on learning from the previous summer's operations, exploring new technologies for safety and digitalization in airports, and discussing ground handling as a key topic. He also anticipates the challenges and opportunities in the development of vertiports and urban air taxis, representing a new intermodality in aviation. Patrick concludes by emphasizing the importance of sustainability and environmental considerations for airport operators, which will be a significant part of the conference discussions. He expresses his hope for a successful conference and leaves the audience with the assurance that his staff will be available to answer technical questions.

Keywords

💡Executive Director

The term 'Executive Director' refers to the highest-ranking officer in an organization, responsible for overseeing its management and operations. In the video, Patrick Key is introduced as the Executive Director of AYASA, indicating his leadership role in the organization. His position is central to the video's theme as he shares his experiences and insights from his tenure.

💡Safety Conference

A 'Safety Conference' is an event organized to discuss and address issues related to safety, often involving presentations, workshops, and discussions on best practices and regulatory compliance. Patrick Key mentions organizing an annual safety conference under the EU presidency, which is a key initiative that connects institutional policies with technical aspects of safety in the aviation industry.

💡EU Presidency

The 'EU Presidency' refers to the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, which sets the agenda and priorities for the EU's legislative activities for a six-month period. In the script, the EU presidency is mentioned as the auspice under which the safety conferences are organized, highlighting the importance of aligning with the EU's institutional framework.

💡Regulations

Regulations are formal rules or orders issued by an authority and having the force of law. Patrick Key discusses the introduction of new regulations, specifically the Airport Implementing Rule, which was met with criticism and resistance from the airport industry, indicating the challenges of implementing new standards in a complex sector.

💡Airport Implementing Rule

The 'Airport Implementing Rule' is a specific regulation mentioned in the script that was adopted to implement the ICAO standards within the EU framework. It serves as an example of the kind of regulatory developments that Patrick Key had to navigate during his tenure, and the controversy it sparked among airport operators.

💡Communication

Effective 'Communication' is the exchange of information and ideas to ensure understanding between parties. The script highlights the importance of communication in resolving the issues that arose with the new regulations, as it was often a problem of interpretation and understanding between regulatory bodies and airport operators.

💡COVID-19

COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus, is a disease that caused a global pandemic. Patrick Key reflects on the impact of COVID-19 on the aviation industry, mentioning the health protection protocols and the guidance provided for restarting operations, which were crucial for the industry's response and recovery.

💡Ground Handling

Ground handling refers to the various services required to manage aircraft on the ground, such as loading and unloading passengers and cargo, refueling, and maintenance. The script discusses the challenges in this area, emphasizing the need for a European level playing field to allocate responsibilities among different stakeholders.

💡Vertiports

A 'Vertiport' is a type of airport designed for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, such as helicopters and certain types of drones or air taxis. Patrick Key mentions vertiports as a new challenge and the next frontier in intermodality, indicating the evolving landscape of aviation and the integration of new technologies.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability in the context of the aviation industry refers to practices that ensure the long-term viability of operations without depleting resources or causing environmental harm. It is highlighted as a top priority for airport operators and is aligned with AYASA's mandate to consider environmental impacts in their work.

💡Lessons Learned

'Lessons Learned' is a concept used to reflect on past experiences to identify what was successful and what was not, in order to improve future actions. Patrick Key mentions the importance of learning from the previous summer's operations to enhance future performance, emphasizing continuous improvement and adaptation in the aviation sector.

Highlights

Patrick Key, the executive director of AYASA, welcomes attendees to the conference in Prague.

This is Patrick Key's last year as the director of AYASA, reflecting on his nearly 10-year tenure.

Initiation of an annual safety conference under the EU presidency to bridge institutional policy and technical aspects.

The success of past conferences is attributed to the synergy between institutional and technical discussions.

Challenges faced in implementing the Airport Implementing Rule due to industry pushback and misinterpretation.

The importance of communication and understanding between regulatory bodies and airport operators.

The longest transition period in the field was experienced with the Airport Implementing Rule, highlighting complexities.

Airports are complex entities with multiple stakeholders and pressures, requiring careful consideration in regulation.

AYASA's role in facilitating the restart of airport operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The development of health protection protocols in partnership with airports to ensure safe travel during the pandemic.

Addressing new safety challenges post-pandemic, such as bird nests at airports and aircraft restart issues.

The significance of training personnel for the safe restart of airport operations post-COVID.

The ramp-up of aviation activities in 2022 and the associated risks, with AYASA organizing webinars for safety.

The ongoing work on ground handling regulations to create a European level playing field for airport stakeholders.

The conference program aims to learn from the past, focusing on future technologies and safety enhancements.

Discussion on the integration of traditional aviation with new urban air mobility and vertiports.

The conference will address sustainability and environmental concerns as top priorities for airport operators.

Patrick Key concludes with a call for a successful conference and emphasizes the importance of collaboration.

Transcripts

our next speaker is no stranger to most

of you I would say it's executive

director of ayasa Patrick key Patrick

[Music]

good afternoon ladies and gentlemen it's

also my pleasure to welcome all of you

in this beautiful city of Prague and uh

I'm not sure we'll have that much time

to visit the city but I already by

looking by the window from my room I

could feel the spirit of Prague and I

enjoy being here very much

you know it's my

um last year as a as a director of ayaza

so

um I I will take the risk of uh sounding

a bit like an old timer and and tell me

about uh my uh almost 10 years

um career in ayaza first of all uh when

I arrived I decided that the we should

organize every year a safety conference

under the auspices of the EU presidency

hence the choice of of the EU presidency

of of today

um and I I think it's a good way of

basically having the institutional setup

of the institutional part of our life

go together with more technical issues

and I I in in the last 10 years we

didn't have conferences during the the

covet times of course but

each and every one of those of those

conferences has been a great success

because of the this connection between

the institutional policy aspects and the

technical aspects so I'm sure that today

and tomorrow will be a very successful

days when we can discuss about those two

topics as well

the second the second thing that I

wanted to mention to you you know I

arrived in September 2013.

and when I was briefed by my staff on

the new regulations arriving and so and

so forth my staff told me you know the

next big regulation or implementing rule

that we are going to have adopted in the

next months is the airport

implementing Rule and my staff told me

the the the rules have been have been

done in partnership with the industry

it's they are not not pushing new

standards so it's actually implementing

uh in in the EU framework the Iko

standards so it's a piece of cake

basically it will roll out nicely and

you will see it will be a big success

um in I will remember that forever

beginning of 2014

I met with the association of airports

from a big country which is Western uh

in the west of the checher I will not

name but you can guess who it is

and for two hours

I I wished I was in another position

because

it was so much and so strong criticisms

of our new regulations of what are you

doing you as a you are bureaucrats you

don't understand anything about airport

operations you are imposing us new

Investments that we had not foreseen you

will be responsible for the bankruptcy

of some of our airports and so and so

forth

I was thinking my goodness my goodness

how is this possible and then I was

invited by Olivier to an ACI board

meeting I don't know if Javier you were

there already but it was a bit Milder

but it was extremely strong messages

against you know so-called the ayaza

bureaucratic stance at things

and

um we we we reflected a lot on that we

worked a lot on communication Olivia you

remember that because at the end of the

day what we saw was that it was mostly a

problem of interpretation of the

regulations it was a problem of

communication it was a problem of

understanding each other between the

regulatory World which has its own its

own own way of of looking at things and

the more operational word which is

represented by the airport operators

and so 2014 what was the the regulation

the regulation was adopted

and 2018 was the entry into Force which

means that by 2018 the the the

civilization authorities should have

certified

the relevant airports four years

transition I was just told this morning

that it's the longest transition period

that we've ever had in our field

and when you think about it and that's

one of the thoughts that I that I wanted

to to share with you

um it's it comes yes from the fact that

ayazar and the EU system was not uh that

well known in in the airport world yes

that's one thing

but the second thing and that's

something that um we we need to take

into account in all our work today and

tomorrow

the second point is that airports are

very complex by Nature

and it was it was mentioned by by

zedanyak earlier

airports are at the junction of a number

of operators number of operations

number of pressures

operators are airport operators of

course but also air navigation service

providers ground handles ground handling

service providers

um

Airline operators and so on so forth

which have their own constraints and

ways on how they want to see the things

operate

airports are the the place where you

have a lot of local political pressure

National pressure airports are very

local by nature and all this needs to be

taken into account when we start to

think about how we can make it work

in a harmonized way across Europe

and I think it's uh it's actually one of

the most difficult areas for us to work

with because of the sheer local nature

of airport operations and Airport

operators

so

2014 was uh we were at the how should I

say at the bottom of the slope

I'm not sure we are at at the top of the

slope but we started to develop

a working together we we we tried to

communicate on how to implement the

rules in in a way which is flexible

which was meant to be and how to work

together with the national authorities

Ezra and the airport operators we also I

think during kovid in particular showed

to you the airport Community

how how much added value we can bring

uh first of all when we worked on the

the health protection protocols and we

worked a lot with Olivier on this and

with a number of airports and it was a

very very I think meaningful and

successful partnership I have to say

which allowed

you to start again to travel uh in 2020

2020 yes and for the summer 2020

we also supported you I hope uh with

with uh with our work on the so-called

return to normal operations where we

tried to give guide guidance on how to

restart operations for ground handling

services for instance in 2020

for the restart of operations in 2021

when we had completely new types of uh

of of issues safety related such as you

know Birds which had nesteds at airports

because there was no traffic anymore

starting again aircraft which had been

underground without operating and so on

so forth and and training the personnel

we also because the startup was okay and

uh and we are very uh very glad that

there were there were no safety issues

in the in the start of operations but we

when we saw

2022 in particular uh the the the the

the the scope and the and the the the

the fact that uh indeed as it was

mentioned by as danyak uh people wanted

to travel and there was a high demand

for for for airport capacity and for Air

transport we also wanted to alert all

the actors from the risks on the risks

which were related to this ramp up of uh

of uh Aviation activities in 2022 and we

organized uh not only safety information

buttons but webinars which I think were

very well attended and which I hope uh

could contribute to uh to uh have a

safer operation

we also

worked on something which is going to be

that's why I was saying we are I'm not

sure we are at the top of the of the

Hill yet we started to work on ground

handling

and uh this is a topic which is quite

challenging because of the different

types of stakeholders different types of

interests and I strongly believe that

there is a need for a European Level

Playing Field which will clearly

allocate responsibilities and tasks to

the different actors so this is an

ongoing task and eduard Julia and their

team are working very hard on that I'm

sure we will we will have a panel

dedicated to that so we have discussion

on that but let's make it to success

because I believe that it's worth

working together and and making sure

that that we have an outcome which is a

successful for all the stakeholders

we have built the program for this

conference

in order to be looking at the future

and and basically trying to learn the

lessons that can be learned on typically

last summer what went well what went

less well we know and I'm pretty sure

that already we mentioned that

it was a difficult summer for airport

operations there are Lessons Learned I'm

sure from that what can we do together

in order to uh to to make it better in

the future because all of us are not

only hoping but we are believing that

Air transport will continue to grow and

will be even at a higher level than

pre-covered

we also are going to look at What new

technologies can bring in terms of

safety uh in terms of digitalization uh

of uh of uh of airports airport

processes how can we enhance the safety

levels on this

we will talk about ground handling as I

mentioned to you before which I think is

a is a is a key topic for all of us and

hopefully my successor in the other

won't have to face the difficulties that

I had to face when when we had the the

the first implementing rules for

airports and we will then talk about the

future verti ports which I think is

going to be the next challenge a new

type of intermodality between

traditional Aviation activities and

evitos Urban Air taxis and so on so

forth that's going to be I think quite

quite interesting and it's very exciting

to see where this field is is leading us

and finally last but not least we'll

talk about environments which I know

there are a number of airport operators

here in the room today this is your

number one procubation your number one

objective as sustainability and I think

we given our mandate which is also to

look at sustainability and environment I

think it's a good way to finish up our

work together so I wish all of us very

successful conference

210 of you today with us which I think

is is quite a success and all the other

staff is here to listen to you to to

answer your questions don't ask

questions to me because I won't be able

to answer I'm sure but I'm sure that my

staff will be able to answer the

difficult technical questions I wish all

of us a very successful conference thank

you very much

[Applause]

thank you Patrick