Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka (AASL) has fulfilled the requirements of the aviation security systems at Sri Lanka Airports to meet the standards of the Universal Security Audit Programme-Continuous Monitoring Approach (USAP - CMA).
May 22, 2023
Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited (AASL), as the civil airport operator and the aviation services provider, has been able to meet the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) requirements for the aviation security systems at Bandaranaike International Airport and other airports, reassuring that Sri Lanka’s airports and skies are safe.
During the period of May 8th to May 18th, 2023, a special expert team comprising the international audit team of ICAO conducted the audit on Sri Lanka’s aviation security systems under the Universal Security Audit Programme Continuous Monitoring Approach (USAP-CMA). Under the audit, eight critical areas, such as the regulatory framework of the national aviation security system, training of aviation security personnel, quality control functions, airport operations, passenger and baggage security, etc., and several others, were audited impartially by a four-member expert audit team. During the audit process carried out at BIA over a period of 11 days, scrutiny of the aviation security systems revealed that Sri Lanka is flying high in its performance.
It is important to highlight that at the concluding event, the post-audit debriefing by the ICAO audit team leader – Mr. Aurelien Lavayssiere, presented the interim report and declared that Sri Lanka has achieved 92% of the score. In the previous audit carried out in 2012, the score achieved was 85.6%. Therefore, as the operator of civil airports in Sri Lanka, AASL recognizes this as a great achievement to score 92% this time because of the hard work and commitment of aviation security, airport management, other related institutions, and all other agencies.
Major Gen. (Rtd.) G. A. Chandrasiri, Chairman-AASL, stated "This certification at a time when the passenger movements at its main gateway, Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), recorded a growth of 20% in the first quarter of 2023 compared with 2022 and facilitate over 18,000 passenger movements and 120 aircraft movements daily, will boost the confidence among the international airlines and Sri Lanka’s aviation industry for the better prospects".