UAE to demand proof of insurance before entering airspace

UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), in a bid to improve on the country's less than stellar safety record, has introduced a minimum US$1.1 million insurance requirement for all flights operating within its borders.

Starting next January, any aircraft without proof of insurance will be barred from entering the country's airspace, bringing its aviation regulations closer in line with those of Europe.

Accident rates for Middle East carriers last year were close to five times higher than the rest of the world. The UAE bore the brunt of a total four such incidents, resulting in the loss of 158 lives, and raising the country's accident rate to 3.32 per 1 million flights, the world's second highest after Africa.

According to IATA, accident rates for western-built aircraft were not as bad as those of their eastern-built counterparts, Russian and Ukrainian jets in particular. Last month the GCAA issued a permanent ban on the Russian-built Antonov An-12 freighter, a cargo industry workhorse.

Maximus Air Cargo chief, Fathi Buhazza, welcomed the aviation authority's latest initiatives, stating that it would do the industry a lot of good.

Large locally-based passenger carriers, such as Emirates, Air Arabia and Etihad, which are already required to take out insurance, will not be affected by the new laws.

 

(Source: www.schednet.com)