Qatar Airways Cargo Receives CEIV Live Animals Certification from IATA

(10 Jan 2022)  Qatar Airways Cargo has been accredited CEIV Live Animals certification by IATA.

The certification, which took six months to complete, applies to 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 per cent of all live animals transported globally by air, travel on board a Qatar Airways flight. The cargo airline runs a 4,200 sqm, air-conditioned 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 sqm paddock.

Trained staff and pilots 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 whilst on board.

Qatar Airways Cargo Boeing 747F. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

“We are the fourth airline worldwide to become CEIV Live Animals certified, and the first in the Middle East,” said Guillaume Halleux, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways. “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.

“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.” 

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 is now working towards receiving IATA CEIV Fresh certification in 2022.