Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo gets re-certified for CEIV-Pharma

Here we go again. Three years ago, Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo (AF-KLM) became one of the first major airline groups to pass the then-new CEIV certification program IATA began offering for handling pharmaceutical products. Today, the carrier said it is now the first carrier to complete the re-certification process for its hub operations in Amsterdam and Paris, as well as the Air France and KLM airline processes.

The re-certification under the CEIV-Pharma program is part of AF-KLM’s overall strategy to invest in its “digital transformation” while also “increasing its quality standards and its cool chain solutions,” the carrier said.

The reason for all the déjà vu? Under the CEIV program, IATA set a schedule for all participants to re-certify themselves every three years, through a one- to two-day process of reassessment and refresher training to update staff on new regulations, or the development of new standards or equipment that has been introduced since initial certification. If necessary, IATA also offers a final validation of systems, which can take one to two more days to complete.

“Pharma is a top priority for our airline group,” said Marcel de Nooijer, executive vice president of Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo, which earned its initial CEIV cert in February 2016. “In an increasingly demanding environment, this certification reconfirms our commitment to offering the highest possible quality standards in support of our customers’ business activities.”

Nina Heinz, global head of network and quality for AF-KLM’s supply chain partner, DHL Global Forwarding, praised the carrier’s re-certification efforts. “In our common quest to ensure product integrity and patient safety for life sciences and healthcare, it is critical that all of our partners throughout the supply chain adhere to the same highest service and quality standards,” she said.