Air Malta is among the first of more than 20 operators holding an Air Operators Certificate (AOC) to have successfully completed the transition to the new European regulations.

The national airline has subsequently been issued with a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AOC from the Civil Aviation Directorate of Transport Malta.

The airline had to follow Commission Regulation (EU) No. 965, laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to air operations particularly those requirements for commercial air transport.

The extensive process for applying and obtaining regulatory approval involved a gap analysis between the current and new legislation.

In order to comply with the new Regulations and transition to an EASA AOC, Air Malta was required to perform a thorough review of all policies and procedures.

One of the main changes in the new legislation involves having a Safety Management System that replaces the current Accident Prevention and Flight Safety Programme.

Air Malta introduced SMS over last winter and, in the process, changed its safety processes and held appropriate SMS training for its entire workforce. SMS is a powerful tool in enhancing safety within an airline.

On presentation of the AOC, Air Malta’s CEO Louis Giordimaina said: “Once again, our national airline has demonstrated to be the leader in the industry on our islands and this is due to our experienced human resources in the area.”