Rokiah Mahmud
In 2022, the Brunei International Airport (BIA) recorded an encouraging growth in air traffic arrivals and departures. In referring to air traffic statistics received from January to October 2022, flight activity recorded 4,732 movements compared to 2,135 in 2021 within the same period.
The movement of passengers also recorded a steady growth with a total of 375,417 passengers compared to 36,107 the previous year.
This was underlined by Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha in his message in conjunction with International Civil Aviation Day.
In his message, the minister added that cargo transportation recorded as much as 9,235 tonnes in the first 10 months of 2022 with a growth rate of 16.3 per cent equivalent to 1,296 metric tonnes compared to the previous year for the same period.
Among the other achievements from the civil aviation sector this year is the signing of the Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states and the European Union (ASEAN-EU CATA) during the 28th ASEAN Transport Meeting in Bali, Indonesia on October 17.
This CATA is the first block-to-block agreement in the world between ASEAN member countries and Europe to further strengthen air links between ASEAN member countries and Europe.
The agreement is expected to support the recovery of the civil aviation sector by reviving connectivity between the two regions with a potential of 1.1 billion people by facilitating business interaction, trade and tourism.
The International Civil Aviation Day is celebrated every December 7 since 1994 to commemorate the establishment of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The theme ‘Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Department’ has been maintained from 2020 to 2023.
Air transportation plays a vital role as a catalyst to social development and generate Brunei Darussalam’s economy.
The Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC) in collaboration with various agencies is working to prioritise safety and the well-being of airport users while at the same time enhance public confidence level through innovative and technological projects parallel to the country’s vision to be a smart nation.
ICAO along with its member countries and the aviation industry in the last few years have been actively supporting the recovery of the transportation sector through several innovative initiatives following the global impact and effect of COVID-19.
Innovation in terms of providing services is one of the catalysts towards recovery and growth in this sector.
The Brunei Darussalam aviation sector also could not escape from this matter with BIA witnessing an increase in demand for cargo airspace for import and export following the addition of air cargo operation at BIA.
Brunei as an ICAO country member through the Department of Civil Aviation under MTIC supports ICAO in the implementation of Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) guidelines for mitigation measures to reduce health risk for passengers and workers at the airport. Such guidelines will improve public confidence, airport workers, global supplies network and the government.
Towards the goal of providing the best service to all passengers throughout their journey, the Department of Civil Aviation together with stakeholders will continue to work together to comply with the safety and security standards of civil aviation as well as strive to ensure the comfort and smoothness of flight processes as a whole.
