Has the Civil Aviation Authority identified any safety findings, recommendations or observations relating to organisational restructuring within Airways since 1 July 2024?

Answer

I am advised that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) conducts quarterly reviews of Airways’ operational staffing and training. These reviews help identify resource constraints retrospectively and provide Airways with an opportunity to proactively describe any mitigation strategies before issues arise. Since 1 July 2024, the CAA has observed minor month-to-month variations in staffing levels across Flight Information Services and some regional towers. These variations have largely been attributable to normal staff movements, illness, and unplanned leave. The CAA has advised that these variations have not resulted in significant service disruptions and have not given rise to any significant safety concerns. I am further advised that, as part of its safety oversight function, the CAA conducted an audit of Airways’ Safety and Assurance function on 27–28 May 2026. Safety and Assurance is the primary business unit responsible for Airways’ Safety Management System. At the conclusion of that audit, the CAA made observations relating to Safety Assurance resourcing following a recent organisational restructure. These observations were made as part of the CAA’s ongoing safety oversight activities.