Transavia wins Safety Initiative of the Year 2025
Transavia won the public award for Safety Initiative of the Year 2025 during the annual Aviation Safety Network Day organised by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. Transavia received the award for its new proactive training course on Aggression & De-escalation, which was developed in collaboration with ground handling partner Viggo.
The training programme responds to a growing challenge in European aviation: increasing aggression towards employees. Every year, more than half of cabin crew and a large proportion of ground staff are confronted with threats, intimidation or violence. Until now, the emphasis has been mainly on reactive measures, such as sanctions or no-fly lists. Transavia opted for a different approach: prevention rather than reaction.
One approach, one language, one chain
With the new training programme, ground staff and cabin crew learn to recognise the same signals, set the same boundaries and communicate with passengers in a consistent manner. This prevents confusion, with the aim of creating calm and clarity in situations that could otherwise quickly escalate.
Maaike Smit, Lead Learning, Development & Safety Cabin at Transavia:
"Our colleagues in the cabin and the employees of our ground handling agent are there for our passengers every day, even in situations that can become tense or unsafe. With this training, we are bringing the entire chain, from the check-in desk to the cabin, into line. By speaking the same language and recognising the same signals, we prevent escalations before they arise. This makes our work safer, calmer and even more professional. We are proud that this initiative has been recognised by ministry staff and safety experts.”
A follow-up to previous safety innovations
The award is in line with previous awards:
- In 2024, Transavia won with the Training Truck, which can simulate realistic emergency situations at any location and allows crew to train at any time and any location;
- In 2023, Transavia and KLM received the award for their joint No Fly List, which allows them to exchange data on aggressive passengers who are banned from flying with both airlines for at least five years.
This award once again confirms Transavia's role as a pioneer in safety innovation, cooperation and a safe working environment for all colleagues.
This press release was translated using automated tools. Please refer to the original Dutch version for the most accurate information.
