Joint efforts to enhance runway safety following fatal collision at Haneda Airport.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) have announced a collaboration to improve runway safety, prompted by a fatal runway collision at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport in January 2024. The agencies aim to use advanced technology to prevent runway incursions and strengthen cooperation among key stakeholders such as airlines, ground handlers, and airport operators.
The collaboration follows a deadly incident on January 2, when a Japan Airlines (JAL) Airbus A350 collided with a smaller Japan Coast Guard plane at Haneda. The crash occurred after the Coast Guard plane mistakenly entered the runway without clearance. The collision resulted in the destruction of the JAL jet, though all 379 people aboard survived. Tragically, five crew members on the Coast Guard plane lost their lives.
Following the incident, JCAB reached out to CAAS for advice on runway safety measures implemented at Singapore’s Changi and Seletar airports. CAAS’s safety protocols ensure comprehensive, coordinated risk management, regularly reviewed to ensure effectiveness and to adopt best practices from other global airports.
Between 2000 and 2023, Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau reported 12 runway incursions at Changi and Seletar. In addition to improving safety, the two agencies are also working on enhancing air connectivity between Singapore and Japan, with flight frequencies recovering to nearly 90% of pre-pandemic levels.
Both authorities are also collaborating on sustainable aviation, air traffic management, and innovation. For instance, Singapore is testing user-preferred routing, which allows pilots to choose more direct flight paths, reducing carbon emissions and flight times. Additionally, Tokyo’s Narita Airport has joined Singapore’s International Aviation Lab to address global airport operational challenges.
The two agencies remain committed to leveraging their expertise to manage growing air traffic demands and improve air travel efficiency across the region.
