Following six months of process and product audits, Qatar Airways Cargo has achieved IATA’s CEIV Live Animals certification.
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. Today, around 9% of all live animals transported globally by air, travel on board a Qatar Airways flight.
The cargo airline runs a 4,200m2, 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 300m2 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 origin airport to the final destination, and adapting the relevant temperature and cabin pressure while on board.
“We are the fourth airline worldwide to become CEIV Live Animals certified, and the first in the Middle East. This certification is 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, explained.
“The CEIV Live Animals certification shows 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. It also illustrates our commitment to continuously improving industry standards when it comes to the transportation of live animals,” Halleux added.
