Qatar Airways Cargo has long been committed to ensuring that all animals entrusted to the airline for transportation, receive the best care both on the ground and in the air. Now, following six months of intense process and product audits, Qatar Airways Cargo is proud to announce that its strict adherence to the highest standards and relevant regulations has been accredited CEIV Live Animals certification by IATA.
“We are the fourth airline worldwide to become CEIV Live Animals certified and the first in the Middle East. This certification is a testament to the dedication and detail that we put into transporting the many different live animals that are placed in our custody. Whether they are horses, household pets, livestock, or exotic animals transported on our scheduled and charter flights or wild animals being flown under our WeQare Rewild the Planet initiative, we go beyond the required regulatory standards, to ensure that the animals are given the utmost care and comfort for the entire duration of the journey,” Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo, explains.
“The CEIV Live Animals certification depicts that our handling, infrastructure, quality management, and training framework are in line with industry standards. It highlights our compliance with the IATA Live Animal Regulations alongside the Transportation of Wildlife and Animal Welfare (TWAW) Group Policy, and it shows that we have a robust supplier management system in place, allowing our principles to be implemented globally. Further, it illustrates our commitment to continuously improving industry standards when it comes to the transportation of live animals, and we thank the IATA auditors for their constructive contribution in this regard.”
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Having Qatar Airways, one of the largest transporters of live animals, achieve CEIV Live Animals certification is a significant boost not only for the airline’s customers, who can be confident that their precious cargo will arrive safely but also the region. We congratulate them on their achievement and their pioneering efforts in the safe transportation of live animals including wild animals through their ‘WeQare’ initiative,” said Brendan Sullivan, IATA’s Global Head of Cargo.
The certification applies at Qatar Airways’ Doha headquarters and the QAS Cargo Doha hub and covers all animals (amphibians, birds, crustaceans, fish, invertebrates, mammals, or reptiles) that Qatar Airways Cargo is authorised to carry as per each respective relevant procedure. Today, around 9% of all live animals are transported globally by air, travelling onboard a Qatar Airways flight.
The cargo airline runs a 4,200 m2, air-conditioned, state-of-the-art Live Animal Centre at Hamad International Airport, Doha, which includes dedicated holding areas for animals, horse stalls, pet kennels, access to 24/7 dedicated expert animal health care services, and a large 300 m2 paddock. Trained staff and pilots make every effort to ensure that the animals experience as stress-free a journey as possible, by arranging the shortest transit times from the origin airport to the final destination, and adapting the relevant temperature and cabin pressure whilst on board.
This time last year, Qatar Airways Cargo was also recognised as IATA CEIV Pharma certified, having demonstrated its compliance with the industry-leading practices in the booking, acceptance, handling, and transportation of pharmaceutical products. The airline now aims to obtain IATA CEIV Fresh certification in 2022.
