The following are excerpts of an email from Antony Tyler, CEO of the International Air Transport Association, on the association’s decision to petition the Korean government for lighter sanctions on Asiana Airlines for crashing a passenger jet in San Francisco last year. The IATA represents 240 airlines around the world. ― Ed. 


KH: Why did all the member airlines, excluding Korean Air, decide to support Asiana Airlines?

IATA: Safety is our industry’s top priority. The accident investigation process gives us many valuable insights into how to improve safety. But the process must operate in a transparent and non-punitive environment. Assessing fines or route suspensions as a result of an accident where the accident investigation clearly concluded that there was no willful negligence compromises this environment. While it will not have an impact on this investigation, it could impact all the investigations that follow. 

KH: Did Asiana encourage IATA members to write the letter?

IATA: The letter was not written at the request of Asiana. On a recent visit to Seoul I became aware of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s consideration of penalties as a result of the San Francisco accident. I believe that it is the wrong approach and I mentioned that in several media interviews that I did in Korea at the time. Having made the comments in the media, I then took the initiative myself to express my comments directly to MOLIT in a formal letter. By expressing legitimate concerns about the imposition of penalties in line of accepted global best practices directly and through the media, my hope is that MOLIT will give them due consideration as it finalizes its actions.

KH: Did you receive any feedback from the Korean government?

IATA: We have not got a reply from the Korean ministry on this issue.

KH: Had the IATA or member airlines concerns that Korean Air would become the biggest beneficiary of the sanctions?

IATA: Safety is not a competitive issue and never should be. The beneficiary of any accident investigation process is the entire industry, which learns how to improve. But that learning is dependent upon a non-punitive process in which all information is shared openly and without fear of penalties.

The point of investigating accidents is to improve safety, not to give a commercial advantage or penalty to any particular airline. In the end, every airline―including Korean Air ― benefits from a non-punitive approach to accident investigation that leads to improvements in safety.

KH: Is it normal for IATA to take sides of one specific company in cases like these?

IATA: There are no “sides” in this case. Safety is not a competitive issue. There is a globally accepted standard that accident investigation should not be criminalized to result in sanctions or penalties. As the head of IATA, it is my duty to defend that approach. I would do the same for any airline facing a similar situation.