Xiamen hosts IATA World Safety & Operations Conference highlighting aviation safety strategies

The program includes sub-forums on four main topics: safety, cabin operations, flight operations, and crisis management. Sessions address predictive risk management strategies and risk-based operational safety audits. Other sessions focus on human factors in cabin operations and lithium battery transportation safety. Flight operations discussions include modernized training methods and the use of artificial intelligence in maintenance. Crisis management panels examine communication during emergencies and support for passengers.

Additional events such as the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) Workshop and Turbulence Aware Forum are also being held to facilitate deeper exchanges among attendees.

Mark Searle noted that increasing geopolitical conflicts and growing regulatory fragmentation have made airline operations more complex. He said issues like airspace closures and drone incursions have disrupted global connectivity and threatened flight safety. "Ensuring aviation safety requires strong leadership, strict adherence to global standards, and smarter use of data," Searle stated. He emphasized that collaboration between industry stakeholders and governments is needed to build a safer system capable of addressing current risks as well as future challenges.

Zhao Dong described Xiamen Airlines’ achievements over four decades of operation. He highlighted that the company has remained profitable for 38 consecutive years while maintaining significant safety records. "Xiamen Airlines has shared its independently developed Engine In-Flight Shutdown Prevention (IFSD) measures with the world," Zhao said. He explained these efforts offer actionable Chinese solutions for global aviation safety governance.

Zhao also addressed challenges such as supply chain constraints facing the industry today. He noted that Xiamen Airlines was "the world’s first airline to partner with the United Nations on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and join the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)." Zhao called for balance between safety needs and industry growth: "The aviation community should collaborate to strengthen resilience...and take more practical actions through technological innovation and operational optimization to jointly promote long-term sustainable development."

As host airline, Xiamen Airlines used this opportunity to encourage technical exchanges within civil aviation while promoting technological innovation across the sector.

Cultural elements were included at the opening ceremony with a short film connecting Chinese cultural values to aviation professionalism followed by a performance titled “Celestial Splendors: The Beauty of China” by twenty flight attendants in traditional costumes.

A cultural event named “Xiamen Night” is also planned during the conference to introduce international attendees to aspects of Chinese culture.