Emergency Planning and Management in Aviation: Enhancing Flight Safety

Purpose: This study aims to examine the importance of emergency planning and management in ensuring flight safety in the aviation sector and to identify the relative importance of the criteria affecting flight safety.Design/methodology: The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was employed to determine the relative weights of the criteria influencing flight safety. The analysis was conducted using data collected from 20 participants working in academia and the aviation sector.Findings: The AHP results revealed that emergency planning and preparedness was the most important criterion for ensuring flight safety, with a criterion weight of 0.35. The findings highlight the importance of effective emergency planning, crisis management, and stakeholder preparedness in maintaining flight safety. Furthermore, innovative training methods and technological equipment are considered important elements in strengthening preparedness for emergencies and high-risk situations.Originality/value: By applying the AHP method, this study provides a systematic assessment of the relative importance of criteria affecting flight safety. The findings offer insights into prioritising emergency preparedness, training, and crisis management practices in the aviation sector.